The risk factors of perioperative hemoglobin and hematocrit drop after intramedullary nailing treatment for intertrochanteric fracture patients

The objective of this study was to analyze the risk factors associated with the hemoglobin and hematocrit drops in the early postoperative period for intertrochanteric fracture patients with intramedullary nailing treatment.

From January 2003 to December 2013, 634 intertrochanteric fracture patients with complete information were recruited into the study. Their age, gender, operating time, medical diseases, blood routine examination at admission and postoperative first day, and the days between the trauma and operation were recorded. Results: The hemoglobin (HGB) change of patients (<75 years) was significantly greater than that of patients (>75 years) (P = 0.039). Meanwhile, the change of hematocrit (HCT) level of patients (<75 years) was greater than that of patients (>75 years), but the difference was not significant (P = 0.062). The gender had no significant influence on HCT and HGB. The HGB and HCT change of patients with diabetes (ΔHCT, 8.47 ± 3.36 %; ΔHGB, 29.19 ± 13.10 g/l) were statistically greater than that of patients without diabetes (ΔHCT, 5.52 ± 3.84 %; ΔHGB, 19.81 ± 14.68 g/l) (P = 0.006, P = 0.022). The hypertension and coronary heart disease had no significant influence on the change of HCT and HGB levels. The operation time had a significant influence on the change of HCT and HGB. The ΔHCT and ΔHGB in the group for which the time was more than 48 h between the trauma and operation were greater than that in the group with less than 48 h between the trauma and operation but not significantly different (ΔHCT, P = 0.672; ΔHGB, P = 0.66).

The factors of age, medical disease such as diabetes, operation time, and time between the trauma and operation may be associated with the change of perioperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels for intertrochanteric fracture patients after intramedullary nailing treatment in the early postoperative period.