By: James Pitt  Jul. 04, 2018
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a condition in which the body has too little iron to properly supply red blood cells, leading to fatigue and weakness. According to the Merck Manual, blood loss is the most common cause of IDA. About 70% of the body's iron is already in red blood cells, rather than stored in reserve, so patients may require iron supplementation after major blood loss.
IDA is of particular concern in surgical patients, because surgery necessarily involves blood loss. Dexur has previously reported on the length of stay increase associated with IDA in hip and knee surgery patients.
In this study, analysts determined rates of IDA in surgical patients in Maryland, using CMS inpatient discharge data from all hospitals that reported at least 11 cases of IDA in surgical patients between 2013 and 2016.
The highest incidence of IDA in surgical patients was at Bon Secours Hospital (Baltimore, MD), where 13.33% of surgical patient discharges involved IDA. Bon Secours serves a notably high risk population. According to the Baltimore Sun, the average life expectancy in area neighborhoods is 11 years less than the state average.
The lowest incidence of IDA in surgical patients was at University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute (Baltimore, MA), at 1.6%. The mean incidence rate was 5.68%, with a standard deviation of 2.16.
At most hospitals in Maryland, 5% to 6% of surgical inpatients had iron-deficiency anemia. Hospitals with unusually high rates may consider implementing prevention programs like the Duke POET protocol, or providing iron supplements to more patients.
From 2013-2016, at the following hospitals: