Impact of using a local protocol in preoperative testing: blind randomized clinical trial.

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the impact of the use of a local protocol of preoperative test requests in reducing the number of exams requested and in the occurrence of changes in surgical anesthetic management and perioperative complications. Methods: we conducted a randomized, blinded clinical trial at the Gaffrée and Guinle University Hospital with 405 patients candidates for elective surgery randomly divided into two groups, according to the practice of requesting preoperative exams: a group with non-selectively requested exams and a protocol group with exams requested according to the study protocol. Studied exams: complete blood count, coagulogram, glycemia, electrolytes, urea and creatinine, ECG and chest X-ray. Primary outcomes: changes in surgical anesthetic management caused by abnormal exams, reduction of the number of exams requested after the use of the protocol and perioperative complications. Results: there was a significant difference (p