Impact of Preoperative Treatment of Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Cardiac Surgery on Outcome.

We are performing the above prospective randomized trial in 1'000 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The study will answer the question of whether preoperative treatment of anemia or iron deficiency indeed improves transfusion needs (primary outcome) and important clinical outcomes (secondary outcome) in a large group of cardiac surgical patients. The list of inclusion and exclusion criteria was deliberately chosen short so that this patient group largely reflects today's clinical practice . Trial with medical product

Anemic or iron deficiency patients are randomized into treatment and placebo groups. Treatment (see below) will be given the day before the operation (day -1) or a maximum of 2 days prior to the operation (day -2) in iron deficiency patients and a maximum of 3 days prior to the operation in anemic patients (day -3). The treatment will not be disclosed to the patient or the health care workers treating the patients during and after the operation. Patients without anemia or iron deficiency will also be observed and the same postoperative measurements performed. They will serve as a natural comparison group. Treatment: Erythropoietin alpha (Eprex, Janssen-Cilag AG, Baar) 40'000 U sc. Ferric carboxymaltose (Ferinject, Vifor (International) AG, St. Gallen) 1000 mg in 100 ml sodiumchloride (NaCl) over 30 min. Vitamin B12 (Vitarubin®-superconc., Streuli Pharma AG, Uznach) 1 mg sc. Folic acid (Acidum folicum, Streuli Pharma AG, Uznach) 5 mg po. The current transfusion and coagulation guidelines of the University Hospital of Zurich are followed in both groups identically. Postoperatively on the regular ward a Hb transfusion trigger of 80 g/L is applied

Hb < 120 g/L in women, Hb < 130 g/L in men Erythropoietin/Ferric carboxymaltose/Vitamin B12/Folic Acid

Patients without anemia or iron deficiency will be observed and the same postoperative measurements performed

Treatment ) will be given the day before the operation (day -1) or a maximum of 2 days prior to the operation (day -2) in iron deficiency patients and a maximum of 3 days prior to the operation in anemic patients (day -3). Erythropoietin alpha (Eprex, Janssen-Cilag AG, Baar) 40'000 U sc. Ferric carboxymaltose (Ferinject, Vifor (International) AG, St. Gallen) 1000 mg in 100 ml NaCl over 30 min. Vitamin B12 (Vitarubin®-superconc., Streuli Pharma AG, Uznach) 1 mg sc. Folic acid (Acidum folicum, Streuli Pharma AG, Uznach) 5 mg po.

Pneumonia, hospital acquired Deep Sternal Wound Infection Definition of infection: rise in inflammation markers after the initial postoperative period (acute phase reaction) and requires treatment and/ or prolongs days in hospital and/or microbiological confirmation of infection

clinical symptoms and evidence of thrombosis/ embolism in one of the following imaging methods (ultrasound, CT-scan)

Comparison of costs for study medication versus costs for blood products and products related to transfusion

Inclusion criteria: Patients undergoing valve- and/or coronary bypass surgery Signed patient informed consent Only patients will be enrolled who won't have an emergency surgery on the same day Exclusion criteria: Participation in another clinical trial within the last 4 weeks prior to enrollment Addiction or other disease that did not allow the patient to assess the nature, scope and possible consequences of the clinical tial Patients who do not sign the consent form or may not fully understand from inadequate knowledge of German. Patients who have not reached the age of legal majority Pregnant or lactating women Jehovah's Witnesses Patients with endocarditis Existing allergy or intolerance to ferric carboxymaltose or mannitol

Rossler J, Schoenrath F, Seifert B, Kaserer A, Spahn GH, Falk V, Spahn DR. Iron deficiency is associated with higher mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a prospective study. Br J Anaesth. 2020 Jan;124(1):25-34. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2019.09.016. Epub 2019 Oct 24.

Spahn DR, Schoenrath F, Spahn GH, Seifert B, Stein P, Theusinger OM, Kaserer A, Hegemann I, Hofmann A, Maisano F, Falk V. Effect of ultra-short-term treatment of patients with iron deficiency or anaemia undergoing cardiac surgery: a prospective randomised trial. Lancet. 2019 Jun 1;393(10187):2201-2212. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32555-8. Epub 2019 Apr 26.