Postoperative anaemia and patient-centred outcomes after major abdominal surgery: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background: Compared with anaemia before surgery, the underlying pathogenesis and implications of postoperative anaemia are largely unknown. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed prospective data obtained from 2983 adult patients across 47 centres enrolled in a clinical trial evaluating restrictive and liberal intravenous fluids. The primary endpoint was persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery. Secondary endpoints included major septic complications, hospital stay, and patient quality of recovery using a 15-item quality of recovery (QoR-15) score, hospital re-admissions, and disability-free survival up to 12 months after surgery. Anaemia and disability were def..