Nagao K, Watanabe H, Morimoto T, et al. - Researchers utilized pooled individual patient-level data from the 3 percutaneous coronary intervention studies, to determine how long-term ischemic and bleeding risk post-percutaneous coronary intervention is clinically influenced by baseline hemoglobin. Participants were 19,288 patients in total who were divided into 4 groups: high-normal hemoglobin (≥ 14.0 g/dL; n = 7,555), low-normal hemoglobin (13.0–13.9 g/dL in men and 12.0–13.9 g/dL in women; n = 5,303), mild anemia (11.0–12.9 g/dL in men and 11.0–11.9 g/dL in women; n = 4,117), and moderate/severe anemia (< 11.0 g/dL; n = 2,313). The participants were observed over a median duration of 3 years. Findings revealed a correlation of decreasing baseline hemoglobin with incrementally higher long-term risk for major bleeding, ischemic stroke, and mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention. They found a correlation of lower baseline hemoglobin level with higher ischemic and bleeding risk, even within normal range.