The Effect of Erythrocyte Suspension Transfusion on Biochemical Parameters Used in the Etiological Evaluation of Anemia

Aim:Anemia is a common clinical finding that requires evaluation of the underlying etiology, which is primarily based on biochemical testing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion administered in emergency settings on biochemical parameters used in the etiological assessment of anemia.Materials and Methods:Eighty patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of anemia and who received RBC transfusion were retrospectively evaluated. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, anemia etiology, number of transfused RBC units, and laboratory parameters were recorded before and after transfusion. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22.Results:Of the patients, 39% were male and 61% were female, with a mean age of 67.4 years. The most common etiologies of anemia were iron deficiency anemia (41.3%), anemia of chronic disease (41.3%), and malignancy (25%). No statistically significant differences were observed in white blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, total iron-binding capacity, ferritin, vitamin B12, haptoglobin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate before and after transfusion (p>0.05). However, significant increases were observed in red cell distribution width, serum iron, transferrin saturation, lactate dehydrogenase, and bilirubin levels after transfusion, while reticulocyte percentage and platelet count showed a significant decrease (p