Vol. 1, Issue 3 (2015)

Serotonergic antidepressants and perioperative bleeding risk in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A retrospective study

Author(s):

Mary R. Thottam, Peggy Mancuso, Enas Kandil

Abstract:
Background: Serotonergic antidepressants inhibit platelet aggregation, and use of these drugs has been associated with adverse bleeding events. The objective of this study was to determine the association of preoperative use of serotonergic antidepressants and perioperative bleeding in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. rnMethods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 80 patients who underwent elective primary total knee arthroplasty in a large hospital. The index group included 40 patients who used serotonergic antidepressants in the preceding 4 weeks prior to surgery, and the reference group included 40 patients who were nonusers. The primary outcome was the change in hematocrit; and the secondary outcomes were the amount of estimated blood loss and the requirement for blood transfusion. rnResults: Comparing the patients who were using SSRIs and those who were not, no statistically significant difference was observed in the level of the three dependent variables of Hct change, estimated blood loss and transfusion units (p > .05). The effect of the use of SSRI on preoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, however, was significant (p = .027; p = .023, respectively), as patients who used SSRI had significantly lower levels of preoperative hemoglobin and preoperative hematocrit. rnConclusions: This study concluded that patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty who continued to use serotonergic antidepressants did not show a statistically significant perioperative blood loss based on the three outcome measures of change in hematocrit, blood transfusion needs, and estimated blood loss.rn

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How to cite this article:
Mary R. Thottam, Peggy Mancuso, Enas Kandil. Serotonergic antidepressants and perioperative bleeding risk in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A retrospective study. Int. J. Orthop. Sci. 2015;1(3):01-05.