Hemoglobin Levels and Postoperative Outcome in Pediatric Surgical Patients

Background: Postoperative outcome in children is multifactorial. Among the reported predictors of postoperative outcome, preoperative anemia has been related to adverse outcome in children. A secondary analysis was undertaken to determine the correlation between hemoglobin levels and postoperative outcome in children included in a cohort of an observational pediatric study published previously since this analysis has not been done. Objective: To determine the correlation between preoperative, intra-operative, postoperative hemoglobin levels and postoperative outcome in children in neurosurgery, abdominal and orthopedic surgery. Methods: Secondary analysis of a sub-cohort of 252 pediatric surgical patients with a median age of 62 months [12.50-144.00]. Results: Preoperative hemoglobin levels were negatively correlated to length of stay in the intensive care unit (LOSICU) (p=0.002), to length of hospital stay (LOS) (p<0.0001), to the number of patients with intra-operative and/or postoperative complications (p<0.0001) and to re-surgery (p<0001). Low preoperative hemoglobin levels below 6g/dL were correlated to higher postoperative LOSICU and LOS. Intra-operative hemoglobin levels were negatively correlated to LOS (p<0.0001) and to the number of patients with intra-operative and/or postoperative complications (p=0.004). Low intra-operative hemoglobin levels below 5g/dL were correlated to higher LOS. Postoperative hemoglobin levels were positively correlated to LMV (p=0.002). Conclusion: Hemoglobin levels are among other multifactorial predictors of postoperative outcome in pediatric surgical patients emphasizing the importance of a global patient blood management implementation program to improve outcome in surgical children.