INTRODUCTION 
Preoperative anemia is associated with increased postoperative transfusion and complication rates after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aimed to create TKA-specific data-driven preoperative hemoglobin strata that quantify the likelihood of 90-day postoperative blood transfusion and evaluate whether these strata are associated with increased risk of 90-day major complications and 2-year prosthetic joint infection (PJI).  

METHODS 
Primary TKA patients from 2013-2022 were identified using a national database. Stratum-specific likelihood ratio (SSLR) analysis defined hemoglobin strata associated with the risk of 90-day blood transfusion. Each stratum was propensity-score matched to the highest identified hemoglobin strata. Unmatched incidence rates and matched risk of 90-day major complications and 2-year PJI between strata were compared.   

RESULTS 
SSLR identified four 90-day blood transfusion hemoglobin strata for males [Strata (g/dL), Likelihood Ratio (5.0-11.4, 8.06; 11.5-11.9, 4.34; 12.0-12.9, 1.70; 13.0-17.0, 0.54)] and females (5.0-10.4, 8.22; 10.5-11.4, 2.84; 11.5-12.4, 1.38; 12.5-17.0, 0.50). Increased 2-year PJI risk was associated with three male strata (12.0-12.9, 11.5-11.9, 5.0-11.4; all p<0.001) and three female strata (11.5-12.4, 10.5-11.4, 5.0-11.4; all p<0.001). Increased 90-day major complication risk was associated with three male strata (12.0-12.9, 11.5-11.9, 5.0-11.4; all p<0.001) and three female strata (11.5-12.4, 10.5-11.4, 5.0-10.4; all p<0.001). 

CONCLUSION 
We identified TKA-specific hemoglobin strata that maximize the likelihood of 90-day blood transfusions and predict the risk of 90-day major complications and 2-year PJI. When using preoperative hemoglobin as a target for anemia optimization, we recommend using these thresholds, noting the increase in complication risk with hemoglobin (g/dL) below 13.0 in males and 12.5 in females.  

Stratum-Specific Preoperative Hemoglobin Intervals Quantify the Likelihood of Blood Transfusion, Major Complications, and Periprosthetic Joint Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

Mark Haft

1

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