Table 1 Baseline characteristics according to intraoperative RBC transfusion

 Male gender, n (%)

2026 (82.9)

249 (51)

< 0.001

0.403

 Age, yr

66 (60–73)

74 (68–79)

< 0.001

0.296

 BMI, kg/m2

27 (25–30)

26 (24–29)

0.001

0.684

 Smoking, n (%)

756 (30.9)

116 (23.8)

0.002

0.795

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, n (%)

279 (11.4)

66 (13.5)

0.365

0.984

 Hypertension, n (%)

1466 (60.0)

321 (65.8)

0.016

0.688

 Diabetes, n (%)

567 (23.2)

166 (34.0)

< 0.001

0.617

 Peripheral artery disease, n (%)

252 (10.3)

90 (18.4)

< 0.001

0.688

 Previous stroke, n(%)

161 (6.6)

50 (10.2)

0.004

0.708

 Previous cardiac surgery, n (%)

60 (2.5)

33 (6.8)

< 0.001

0.894

 Reduced LVEF (< 50%), n(%)

572 (23.4)

157 (32.2)

< 0.001

0.835

 Unstable angina, n (%)

155 (6.3)

72 (14.8)

< 0.001

0.858

 Emergency procedure, n (%)

156 (6.4)

53 (10.9)

0.001

0.948

 EuroSCORE

3 (2–5)

6 (4–8)

< 0.001

0.290

 Hb, mmol/l

8.8 (8.2–9.3)

7.6 (7.0–8.4)

< 0.001

0.029

 Creatinine, μmol/l

83 [73–96]

85 [71–109]

< 0.001

0.911

 Duration of procedure, min

190 [161–227]

223 [186–265]

< 0.001

0.652

 Use of IMA, n (%)

2251 (92.1)

412 (84.4)

< 0.001

0.927

 Salvaged red cell volume reinfused (units)

1.8 [1.0–2.0]

2.0 [1.0–3.0]

< 0.001

0.809

 CABG, n (%)

2225 (91.0)

330 (67.6)

< 0.001

0.875

 CABG + AVR, n (%)

220 (9.0)

158 (32.4)

< 0.001

0.875