Iron deficiency: effects beyond anaemia?

The surgical risks associated with anaemia, particularly iron deficiency anaemia, have been addressed extensively in the past few decades. In 2010, WHO encouraged all member states to implement patient blood management programmes, providing multiple strategies to increase and preserve autologous erythrocyte volume and to ensure guideline adherent transfusion of red blood cells.1 The main principles of patient blood management are to detect and treat preoperative anaemia, to maintain haemoglobin concentration during hospital stay, to optimise blood haemostasis, and to minimise blood loss in surgical patients.