Adherence to patient blood management strategy in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding: a prospective nationwide multicenter study

Introduction: Patient blood management (PBM) adherence in clinical practice is unclear. This real-world practice study assessed the management of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding after the implementation of the PBM strategy.

Methods: This was a nationwide multicenter and prospective study involving consecutive adults with GI bleeding between March 2019 and March 2021. Patients were examined according to hemoglobin (Hb) level at admission (<7 g/dl, n = 93; 7-8 g/dl, n = 47; 8-9 g/dl, n = 61; and >9 g/dl, n = 249). Study outcomes measures were morbidity and mortality during hospitalization and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Appropriate anemia or iron deficiency management was considered when adherence to PBM policy was higher than 75%.

Results: A total of 450 patients (57.6% men, median age: 74 years, interquartile range: 63-82) were included. Overall, 55.1% and 59.3% of patients received transfusion and iron supplementation, respectively. The rates of appropriate transfusion and iron supplementation adherence were 90.9% (range: 86.9-93.5%, P = 0.109) and 81.8% (range: 78.5-85.1%, P = 0.041), depending on Hb level, respectively. No associations were observed between adherence to the PBM strategy and length of stay ( P = 0.263) or risk of further bleeding ( P = 0.742). Patients who were transfused [hazard ratio (HR): 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27-0.85] and iron supplemented (HR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.38-1.41), however, appropriately achieved a lower risk of death. Age (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.12-1.25) and further bleeding (HR: 39.08, 95% CI: 4.01-181.24) were poor prognostic factors. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions: In this nationwide study, there is a high level of adherence and safety of PBM for the treatment of GI bleeding. Adherence to the PBM strategy improved outcomes in patients with GI bleeding.