Post-hip arthroplasty hemoglobin monitoring: Evaluating necessity and outcomes

Post-hip arthroplasty hemoglobin monitoring: Evaluating necessity and outcomes - Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is widely regarded as the preferred treatment for severe hip osteoarthritis (OA). Recently, there has been a growing trend toward fast-track treatment protocols, allowing patients to be discharged on the same day as their surgery. This study aimed to evaluate postoperative hemoglobin levels in patients undergoing THA for OA and identify those who would benefit most from these tests. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 213 THA cases was conducted. The study included patients who had THA for OA between 2018 and 2022. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with postoperative haemoglobin levels Results: Out of the 213 patients, 27 (12.7%) required packed red blood cell transfusions after surgery. The cohort consisted of 109 women (51.2%) and 104 men (48.8%), with an average age of 66.9 ± 11.3 years. Preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) levels were 13.4 ± 1.4 g/dl, while postoperative Hb levels averaged 11.0 ± 1.5 g/dl, indicating a mean reduction of 2.4 ± 1.1 g/dl. Interestingly, 206 patients (96.7%) had a postoperative Hb level above 8.5 g/dl. Univariable analysis showed that lower preoperative Hb levels and younger age were significantly linked to postoperative Hb ?8.5 g/dl (P < 0> Conclusions: The results suggest that routine postoperative blood testing may not be essential for THA patients with OA who experience no complications and have no major underlying health conditions. Keywords: Osteoarthritis (OA), Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA), Tranexamic Acid (TXA), Electronic Health Records (EHR).