Evaluation of the Role of Preoperative Intravenous Iron in Patients Undergoing Surgery

Background: The prevalence of preoperative anaemia in patients undergoing major surgery is approximately 30%, and is independently associated with higher mortality, a higher rate of postoperative complications, and a greater probability of receiving a transfusion. In a prehabilitation program, the evaluation and correction of anaemia in the preoperative period is essential, as it is a risk factor for transfusions and complications. The main objectives of this study were to analyse the need for blood transfusion, post-surgical complications, hospital length of stay, ICU length of stay, hospital readmissions, and surgical wound infection in patients treated with ferric carboxymaltose (FC) before surgery. Methods: A total of 152 patients were included, of whom 96 received FC before the intervention and 56 received no treatment (control group). Results: Preoperative treatment with FC significantly reduced the need for blood transfusion (p<0.001; OR 15.91 [4.44-57.01]), the incidence of complications (p<0.001; OR 7.36 [3, 35-16.16]) and the mean hospital length of stay (p<0.001). Conclusions: Preoperative anaemia is a common comorbidity in surgical patients and is associated with negative outcomes. The optimization of preoperative anaemia with FC is a blood-saving strategy that also reduces the incidence of surgical wound infection, post-surgical complications, and the length of hospital stay, among other results, and thereby improves patient quality of life.