We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Patterns of geriatric anemia: A hospital-based observational study in North India.
- Authors
Sharma, Dheeraj; Suri, Vikas; Pannu, Ashok; Attri, Savita; Varma, Neelam; Kochhar, Rakesh; Varma, Subhash; Kumari, Savita
- Abstract
Background: Geriatric anemia is a global health problem because of its high prevalence and associated significant morbidity and mortality. Aim: The objectives of this study were to estimate the pattern of anemia in the elderly patients and the underlying etiology of anemia. Research Design and Methods: This was a hospital-based prospective observational study, conducted in patients aged 60 years and above at PGIMER, Chandigarh, a tertiary care center of North India. Anemia is defined as hemoglobin level less than 13 g/dl in men and 12 g/dl in women. Results: Among the 105 older patients with anemia, the mean value of hemoglobin was 8.8 ± 2.3 g/dl. The etiological distribution of anemia was iron deficiency in 26 patients (24.8%), chronic disease in 24 patients (22.9%), hematological disorders in 21 (20%), chronic kidney disease in 13 (12.4%), multifactorial in 8 (7.6%), vitamin B12 deficiency in 2 (1.9%), folate deficiency in 1 (0.9%), and hypothyroidism in 1 patient (0.9%). No etiology could be found in 9 patients (8.6%). 57.6% of the iron-deficient patients had upper gastrointestinal lesions and 30.7% had a nutritional cause. Common chronic diseases causing anemia were malignancy (36.6%) and liver disease (29.1%). The myelodysplastic syndrome was the commonest hematological disorder. 53.35% of the patients had normocytic anemia, 40% had microcytic anemia, and 6.6% had macrocytic anemia. Conclusions: In most of the cases, anemia in the elderly had a treatable cause. Thus, a thorough investigation including gastrointestinal endoscopy is warranted. Unexplained progressive or unresponsive anemia requires bone marrow examination.
- Subjects
INDIA; CHANDIGARH (India); KIDNEY diseases; IRON deficiency anemia; BONE marrow examination; ANEMIA; VITAMIN B12; SCIENTIFIC observation
- Publication
Journal of Family Medicine & Primary Care, 2019, Vol 8, Issue 3, p976
- ISSN
2249-4863
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_450_18