Anemia acquisita da ospedalizzazione : il ruolo delle perdite di sangue a scopo diagnostico [Hospital-acquired anemia: the role of diagnostic blood loss]

Hospital-acquired anemia: the role of diagnostic blood loss. Hospital-acquired anemia (HAA) is defined by a reduction of blood hemoglobin concentrations in hospitalized patients, in absence of bleeding episodes occurring during the hospital stay. One of the most important causes of HAA is the considerable amount of blood drawn for diagnostic purposes, which mainly affects critical patients in the intensive care units. Although usually underestimated by healthcare providers, HAA can be a significant problem, because it may increase the necessity of allogenic transfusions, the morbidity and mortality rates and healthcare costs. Strategies to minimize diagnostic blood loss should be implemented by both clinical wards and laboratories within wider patient blood management programs, with the aim of improving patient clinical outcome. These should include using small-volume test tubes, reduction of sample waste, optimization of testing frequency, early removal of central catheters and healthcare professional education.