International Journal of Medical and Dental Sciences

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Prevalence of Anemia and Micronutrient Deficiency in Elderly


Affiliations
1 Pathology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab, India
2 Pathology, M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
 

Background: Untreated geriatric anemia is important to diagnose early as it is associated with greater morbidity and mortality in comparison to the anemia in younger adults.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, patterns of anaemia, and to assess haemopoietic nutrient status of geriatric population attending a hospital.

Material and methods: 2540 subjects aged 60 years and above, attending our geriatric clinic were screened for presence of anemia. 100 anemic subjects were randomly selected for further characterization. Tests carried out were, pattern of anemia, full blood count, serum ferritin and stool for occult blood. Vitamin B12, folate and other additional investigations were carried out in selected patients as per study protocol. Main outcome measure: Prevalence, pattern and underlying etiologies of anemia.

Results: The prevalence of anemia was 71%. Normocytic blood picture was most common. Eleven cases had absolute iron deficiency. 5 and 2 cases had low vitamin B12 and folate levels respectively. Nine out of 11 (82%) patients with depleted iron stores had positive stool occult blood.

Conclusions: Screening for anemia is important in all geriatric patients seeking medical care, irrespective of the presenting illness. Also a dedicated search for micronutrient deficiency and stool occult blood should be a routine component of the etiological work up of anemic elderly.


Keywords

Vitamin B12, Ferritin, Folate, Anemia, Elderly.
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • World Health Organization. Definition of an older or elderly person. Retrieved August 29, 2010. http://www.who.int /healthinfo/ survey/ageingdefnolder /en/index.html.

  • Ferrucci L, Semba RD, Guralnik JM, Ershler WB, Bandinelli S, Patel KV et al. Proinflammatory state, hepcidin and anemia in older persons. Blood. 2010;115:3810-26.

  • Russell RM, Rasmussen H, Fada RD. The Impact of Nutritional Needs of Older Adults on Recommended Food Intakes. Nutrition in Clinical Care 1999;2:164– 76.

  • Nutritional anemias. “Report of a WHO scientific group”. WHO technical support series 405. World health organization, Geneva; 1968. (WHO Technical Report Series, No. 405)

  • Joosten E, Pelemans W, Hiele M, Noyen J. Prevalence and causes of anaemia in a geriatric hospitalized population. Gerontol 1992;38:111-7.

  • Gunter EW, Lewis BG, Koncikowski SM. Laboratory procedures used for the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 19881994. Hyattsville, MD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1996.

  • Mehta BC. Iron deficiency anemia. In Shah SN editor. API Textbook of Medicine, 7th ed. Association of Physicians of India, Mumbai; 2003.p.930-4.

  • Beutler E, Waalen J. The definition of anemia: what is the lower limit of normal of the blood hemoglobin concentration? Blood 2006;107:1747.

  • Chaves PH, Xue QL, Guralnik JM. What constitutes normal hemoglobin concentration in community-dwelling disabled older women? J Am Geriatr Soc 2004;52:1811.

  • Chernetsky A, Sofer O, Rafael C. Prevalence and etiology of anemia in an institutionalized geriartic population. Harefuah 2002;141:591-4.

  • Choi CW, Lee J, Park KH, Yoon SY, Choi IK, Oh SC. Prevalence and Characteristics of Anemia in the Elderly: Cross-Sectional Study of Three Urban Korean Population Samples. Am J Hematol 2004;77(1):26-30.

  • Guralnik Jack M, Eisenstaedt RS, Luigi Ferrucci. Prevalence of anemia in persons 65 years and older adults. Blood 2004;104:2263-9.

  • Beal VA. Nutrition in the life span. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 1980.p.289– 329.

  • Elis A, Ravid M, Manor Y, Bental T, Lishner M. A clinical approach to idiopathic normocytic-normochromic anemia. J Am Geriatr Soc 1996;44:8324.

  • Hee-Seon Kim, Byung-Kook Lee. Crosssectional study on the prevalence of anemia among rural elderly in Asan. Nutr Res Pract 2008 Spring;2(1):8-12.

  • Ania BJ, Suman VJ, Fairbanks VF. Incidence of anemia in older people: an epidemiologic study in a well defined population. J Am Geriatr Soc 1997;45:825-831.

  • Milman N, Schultz-Larsen k. Iron stores in 70 year old Danish men and women. Ageing (Milano) 1994;6:97-103.

  • Jacobs P, Richards JDM, Ben-Arie O. The Coloured elderly in Cape Town a psychosocial, psychiatric and medical community survey. S Afr Med 1984;65:16-18.

  • Lindenbaum J, Healton EB, Savage DG, Brust JC, Garrett TJ, Podell ER et al. Neuropsychiatric disorders caused by cobalamin deficiency in absence of anemia or macrocytosis. N Engl J Med 1998;318:1720-8.

  • Kang SS, Wong PWK, Malinow MR. Hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for occlusive vascular disease. Ann Rev Nutr 1992;12:279-298.

  • Patel KV, Longo DL, Ershler WB, Yu B, Semba RD, Ferrucci L, et al. Haemoglobin concentration and the risk of death in older adults: differences by race/ethnicity in the NHANES III followup. Br J Haematol 2009;145:514-23.

  • Artz AS, Fergusson D, Drinka PJ, Gerald M, Bidenbender R, Lechich A, et al. Mechanisms of unexplained anemia in the nursing home. J Am Geriatr Soc 2004;52:423-7.

  • Holyoake TL, Hendry A, Mac Donald JB, Lucie NP. Use of plasma ferritin concentration to diagnose iron deficiency in elderly patients. J Clin Pathol 1993;46:857-60.


Abstract Views: 280

PDF Views: 135




  • Prevalence of Anemia and Micronutrient Deficiency in Elderly

Abstract Views: 280  |  PDF Views: 135

Authors

Harjot Kaur
Pathology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Sanjay Piplani
Pathology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Manas Madan
Pathology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Mohit Paul
Pathology, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Saraswati G. Rao
Pathology, M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Abstract


Background: Untreated geriatric anemia is important to diagnose early as it is associated with greater morbidity and mortality in comparison to the anemia in younger adults.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, patterns of anaemia, and to assess haemopoietic nutrient status of geriatric population attending a hospital.

Material and methods: 2540 subjects aged 60 years and above, attending our geriatric clinic were screened for presence of anemia. 100 anemic subjects were randomly selected for further characterization. Tests carried out were, pattern of anemia, full blood count, serum ferritin and stool for occult blood. Vitamin B12, folate and other additional investigations were carried out in selected patients as per study protocol. Main outcome measure: Prevalence, pattern and underlying etiologies of anemia.

Results: The prevalence of anemia was 71%. Normocytic blood picture was most common. Eleven cases had absolute iron deficiency. 5 and 2 cases had low vitamin B12 and folate levels respectively. Nine out of 11 (82%) patients with depleted iron stores had positive stool occult blood.

Conclusions: Screening for anemia is important in all geriatric patients seeking medical care, irrespective of the presenting illness. Also a dedicated search for micronutrient deficiency and stool occult blood should be a routine component of the etiological work up of anemic elderly.


Keywords


Vitamin B12, Ferritin, Folate, Anemia, Elderly.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18311/ijmds%2F2014%2F80670