May 31, 1999 – Anemia is a common health problem in older people and may indicate the presence of serious illness. According to a study carried out in the Netherlands and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in the week of May 12, anemia doubles the chances of death in people aged 85 and over.
The study followed for 10 years 755 people over the age of 85 still living in their community. The researchers then found that 17% of women and 28% of men suffered from anemia. During this time 86% of people with anemia died, compared to 65% of those with normal levels of hemoglobin, the blood pigment that carries oxygen through the circulatory system. In people with anemia, malignant tumors and infections were the leading cause of death, while respiratory diseases played this role in non-anemic people.
According to researchers, anemia in the elderly is caused by illness, not old age. Consequently, researchers believe that anemia can be considered in the elderly as a marker indicating the presence of an underlying disease and that any test indicating a hemoglobin level below normal should be followed by more clinical tests. pushes to find the source of the problem.
HealthPassport.net
Gerbrand J. Izaks, MD, Rudi GJ Westendorp, MD, PhD, Dick L. Knook, PhD. The Definition of Anemia in Older Persons JAMA. 1999; 281: 1714-1717
