The changes of cardiac ejection fraction up to 72 h after transfusion in patients with chronic anaemia

The objective was to assess the serial change of the cardiac function after blood transfusion in patients with chronic anaemia. According to a previou s study, transfusion would adjust the ejection fraction to the advantage of cardiac function in chronic anaemia patients, and thus the serial change o f the cardiac function in a certain period should be evaluated after transf usion in patients with chronic anaemia. In a prospective study, ejection fraction (EF) was determined before and le ss than or equal to6 h, 24 h and 72 h after transfusion in 32 patients with chronic anaemia, and the results were compared and analysed. In the left ventricle (LV), the four EFs noted before and less than or equa l to6 h, 24 h and 72 h after transfusion did not significantly differ betwe en one another. In the right ventricle (RV), the EF 72 h after transfusion significantly increased in comparison with the pretransfusion value (P = 0. 043). Transfusion of small amounts of RBC did not significantly change the LVEF u p to 72 h in patients with transfusion-dependent chronic anaemia; whether i t might change the RVEF 72 h after transfusion deserves further investigati on.