The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate if there was a stati
stical correlation between allogeneic blood transfusion and postoperat
ive infections, and if this could have a dose-dependent pattern. The e
valuation was based on multiple logistic and receiver operating charac
teristics (ROC) curve analyses. On hospital admission the following pa
rameters were determined in 267 consecutive patients with colorectal c
ancer: hemoglobin, serum albumin, serum cholinesterase activity, total
iron binding capacity and weight loss. Duration of operation, operati
ve blood loss, amount of transfused blood, Dukes' cancer stage and occ
urrence of postoperative infections were also recorded. One hundred an
d thirty-two patients (49.4%) were given perioperatively allogeneic bl
ood. Postoperative infections developed in 47 (17.6%) patients. Multiv
ariate analysis identified allogeneic blood transfusion as the only va
riable related to the occurrence of postoperative infections (p<0.05).
ROC curve analysis showed that the risk for the occurrence of infecti
on was significantly higher in patients transfused one unit of blood (
p<0.01). Moreover, a significant trend between increasing number of tr
ansfused blood units and susceptibility to infection was found (p<0.00
019).