CHANGES IN SERUM ELECTROLYTES IN BLOOD TRANSFUSED AND NON-TRANSFUSED POST-OPERATIVE PATIENTS AT A NATIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL IN GHANA

A. O. Yawson, C. Antwi-Boasiako, R. Djagbletey, E. Abindau, J. M.K. Aheto, F. A. Botchway, F. E. Adepa, A. E. Yawson

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Abstract

Background: Red blood cell transfusion among patients is an essential part of medical care, and can be life-sav-ing. This study therefore determined changes in serum electrolyte in blood transfused and non-transfused post-operative patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Ghana. Methodology: This was a hospital-based longitudinal study involving 160 female patients aged 18-70 years admitted to the KBTH and screened pre-operatively. In all 92 general surgical and gynaecological adult patients who met the inclusion criteria were studied post-post operatively. Data abstraction form was used for data collection on demographic, weight and serum electrolytes. Categorical data were analysed using chi-square. Independent t-test was used to compare the means for the two groups, while the paired t-test was used to compare the means for the immediate post-operative and 24 hours post-operative period, using SPSS version 23.0 software. Results: In the transfused patients, serum levels of sodium (p= 0.297), Chloride (p= 0.143), and calcium (p= 0.368) increased, while potassium (p= 0.383) and magnesium (p= 0.147) levels decreased after transfusion; although not statistically significant. However, there was a significant decrease in serum levels of sodium (p= 0.040), potassium (p= 0.001), and magnesium (p= 0.026) in non-transfused patients 24 hours post operatively. Hypomagnesemia was observed among the transfused patients in this study (pre-transfusion, 0.66±0.05 vs. post transfusion, 0.57±0.04, p= 0.147) Conclusion: Blood transfusion corrected serum electrolyte levels in patients after surgery. Serum electrolytes monitoring is clinically useful in post-operative patients in this large referral hospital.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5-13
Number of pages9
JournalPostgraduate Medical Journal of Ghana
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Keywords

  • adult surgical patients
  • blood transfusion
  • post-operative period
  • serum electrolytes
  • Sub-Saharan Africa

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