Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Survival After a Nadir Hemoglobin <3.0 g/dL in 2 Jehovah’s Witness Patients: A Case Report

Abstract

We report 2 cases of gastrointestinal bleeding and profound anemia in Jehovah’s Witness patients (with nadir hemoglobin of 2.1 and 2.8 g/dL), both of whom survived until discharge to home. Management included supportive care, antifibrinolytics, and an aggressive erythropoietic regimen. Despite previous reports of high mortality with hemoglobin concentrations less than 5 to 6 g/dL, these patients illustrate that meticulous care in selected patients with severe anemia can lead to successful outcomes, without transfusion.