Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Patients Scheduled for Cardiac Surgery: A Survey at a Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center in Iran

Background: Preoperative anemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates among patients undergoing major surgery. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of preoperative iron deficiency in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery at a cardiovascular medical and research center in Iran. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Rajaei Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center in Iran between October 2018 and September 2019. A total of 165 patients aged 18 years or older who were scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were included. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was determined using several iron parameters: serum iron levels, serum ferritin levels, total iron -binding capacity, transferrin saturation, complete blood count, serum blood urea nitrogen levels, serum creatinine levels, and C -reactive protein. Data were collected from patients' medical records. Results: A total of 165 patients were included in the study, with a male -to -female ratio of 1.3:1. The mean age was 60.6 +/- 9.9 years. The prevalence of anemia was 52.1%, higher in women than in men (55.8% vs 44.2%). Iron deficiency anemia was the most common type (75.6%), followed by anemia of chronic disease (15.1%) and other types (9.3%). Iron deficiency anemia was more prevalent in women (60%) than in men (24.7%), whereas anemia of chronic disease was more frequent in men (11.8%) than in women (2.9%). Conclusions: Our study revealed a high prevalence of anemia among cardiac surgery patients, particularly iron deficiency anemia. These findings emphasize the importance of preoperative anemia screening and management in cardiac surgery settings, which has significant implications for patient care.