RetICS Study v.2.0

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Is Pre-operative Reticulocyte Haemoglobin Content associated with Post-operative Outcomes following Cardiac Surgery?

  • IRAS ID

    246925

  • Contact name

    Manraj Sandhu

  • Contact email

    manraj.sandhu1@nhs.net

  • Sponsor organisation

    South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 3 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    Previous studies have shown that about 20-30% of people are anaemic (have a low blood count) before heart surgery and this will mean a worse outcome (longer length of stay in hospital, an increase in risk of death and an increase in risk of blood transfusion). A low blood count is often related to a low iron levels (iron deficiency) or not using iron appropriately (functional iron deficiency). More recently, it has been shown that a regulator of iron levels (hepcidin) is related to worse outcomes after heart surgery. This regulator is also increased in response to inflammation in the body. People that have heart attacks have a form of inflammation.
    This study aims to observe if a blood test is related to post-operative outcomes after heart surgery. The blood test is called reticulocyte haemoglobin content - this measures how well iron is added to a red blood cell. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. This marker puts together both low levels of iron in the blood and problems with inappropriate under use of iron.

    We want to take a sample of blood before a participant has their heart operation and collect data on their stay.

    The post-operative outcomes would include: a participant's requirement for a transfusion of blood, their length of stay in hospital and complications they may suffer. We would look to recruit people having any heart surgery.

  • REC name

    East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    19/EM/0084

  • Date of REC Opinion

    15 May 2019

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion