December 9, 2025Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
Preoperative anemia in cardiac surgery patients: how to achieve clinical optimization – a narrative review
Key result
Patient blood management with IV iron shows promise for correcting preoperative anemia in cardiac surgery.
Why the study?
Preoperative anemia in cardiac surgery patients is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and red blood cell transfusion risks, but guidance on practical optimization and clinical evidence synthesis is needed.
Does patient blood management (intravenous iron with or without erythropoiesis-stimulating agents) optimize clinical outcomes in patients with preoperative anemia undergoing cardiac surgery?
Structured PICO
Does patient blood management (intravenous iron with or without erythropoiesis-stimulating agents) optimize clinical outcomes in patients with preoperative anemia undergoing cardiac surgery?
P
Population
Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with preoperative anemia
I
Intervention
Patient blood management (PBM) strategies, specifically intravenous iron supplementation with or without erythropoiesis-stimulating agents
This review highlights the importance of patient blood management, particularly intravenous iron supplementation, to correct preoperative anemia and optimize outcomes in cardiac surgery patients.
Limitations
- Further high-quality studies are required to define optimal therapeutic regimens and assess patient-centered outcomes.
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
May support preoperative anemia correction with intravenous iron in cardiac surgery; leaves open effects on clinical outcomes.
Cite This Study
Saal-Bauernschubert et al. (2025) conducted a review in Preoperative anemia in cardiac surgery patients. Patient blood management (intravenous iron supplementation with or without erythropoiesis-stimulating agents) was evaluated. Patient blood management, including intravenous iron supplementation with or without erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, represents a promising strategy for correcting preoperative anemia in cardiac surgery.