Anemia is Associated with Greater Morbidity and Resource Utilization in Pediatric Patients with Systolic Heart Failure - A Multi-Institutional Analysis

Purpose Data are limited about anemia and its association with outcomes in pediatric patients with systolic heart failure (HF). Methods Retrospective cohort study querying the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database (comprised of 50 children's hospitals) from 01/2008 to 12/2017. Admissions of patients aged Results 2494 admissions met inclusion criteria - median age 9yr (IQR 1-15yr), 54% (1,341) male. Anemia was present in 26% (648) of the patients. The anemic cohort was younger (median 6yr vs 9yr, p=0.003) and had female preponderance (50% vs 45%, p=0.016) compared to the non-anemic cohort. The anemic group were more likely to undergo mechanical ventilation (64% vs 51%, p Conclusion Anemia is associated with more comorbidities and resource utilization in pediatric patients admitted for systolic HF. This suggests a need for examining anemia management strategies to optimize pediatric HF outcomes.