THE EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE ANEMIA ON PERIOPERATIVE OUTCOMES AMONG PATIENTS UNDERGOING EMERGENCY SURGERY: A MULTICENTER PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

<strong>Abstract</strong> Introduction: Preoperative anemia is a common finding among surgical patients, and it is associated with an increased risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. To improve the postoperative management plan and outcome status; needed to know the relationship between preoperative anemia and perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing emergency surgery. Objective:To assess the effect of preoperative anemia on perioperative outcomes among patients undergoing emergency surgery in selected Southern Ethiopia governmental teaching hospitals, from January 2022 to June 2022 GC. Method:A multi-center prospective cohort study was conducted. Data were collected at selected Hospitals, after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional review board. Continuous data were presented as mean, median, and standard deviation (SD); and the categorical data were presented as the percentage of individuals in each category. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was conducted. A P-value less than 0.05 were taken as significant. Result:A total of 200 patients underwent emergency surgery were included. The patients were grouped into the anemia group (100 patients) while the rest were non-anemia group. There was no statistically significant difference between the group regarding socio-demographic and intraoperative patient characteristics. Based on multivariate logistic regression, anemia groups had significant risk of perioperative transfusion requirement (RR= 4.030, p&lt; 0.001), developing postoperative complications (RR= 1.868, p= 0.017), occurring in-hospital mortality (RR= 5.763, p= 0.045), prolong length of hospital stay (RR= 4.028, p&lt; 0.001), and requiring postoperative intensive care unit admission (RR= 6.332, p= 0.003) compared with non-anemia groups. Conclusion:Preoperative anemia was associated with a higher rate of perioperative transfusion requirements, along with the increased postoperative complications rate, increased in-hospital mortality, increased ICU admission rate, and prolonged length of hospital stay. We recommend to adequate preoperative assessment and correction of hemoglobin concentrations to normal values to improve surgical outcomes and reduce complications.