Postoperative Anaemia Is a Risk Factor for Bleeding-Related Event in Thromboprophylaxis Using Fondaparinux Sodium Injection after Total Knee or Hip Arthroplasty

Bleeding is a life-threating side effect of thromboprophylaxis with fondaparinux sodium (FPX) injection. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the risk factor for bleeding-related event following thromboprophylaxis with FPX after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA). Adult patients undergoing TKA or THA at a single university hospital were administered FPX for thromboprophylaxis by subcutaneous injection of 1.5 or 2.5 mg per day. The risk factor for bleeding-related event was identified by propensity score-adjusted multivariate logistic analysis, and survival analysis was performed retrospectively in consideration of the identified risk factors. Two hundred and twenty-six patients who underwent TKA (n = 62) or THA (n = 164) were enrolled. Anaemia on postoperative day (POD) 1 was identified as a risk factor for bleeding-related event (odds ratio: 3.75, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-24.5, p = 0.04). Eighty of 226 patients were selected using a propensity score matching and patients with anaemia on POD1 in this population had a significantly higher incidence of bleeding-related event than those without anaemia (p = 0.0016, Ghen-Breslow-Wilcoxon test; p = 0.0015, log-rank test). These results suggest that anaemia on POD1 is an independent risk factor for bleeding-related event following thromboprophylaxis with FPX after TKA or THA.