Laura Rivilla Marugán1, Teófilo Lorente Aznar1, Mónica Molinero Rodriguez1, José Antonio García-Erce2. 1. Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Centro de Salud de Sabiñánigo, Servicio Aragonés de Salud, Huesca, España. 2. Banco de Sangre y Tejidos de Navarra, Servicio Navarro de Salud-Osasunbidea, Pamplona, España; Grupo de Trabajo de la Sociedad Española de Transfusión Sanguínea «Hemoterapia basada en sentido común». Electronic address: ja.garcia.erce@navarra.es.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of anaemia is an important health indicator, although there is little rigorous information gathered on the elderly population, particularly in those over 80 years old. The same criteria that are used in the general population are often used to define anaemia in the elderly. The epidemiological data collected by the WHO in 1968 (that have been used to generalise this criteria), did not include the population over 65 years-old. Two objectives are established, which includes a critical review of the available evidence on whether the criteria used to define anaemia in the adult population can be extrapolated to the elderly, and a review of publications on the prevalence of anaemia in the elderly over 80 years-old. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic bibliographic search was performed on the established objectives. RESULTS: Although the WHO criteria, based on data from 1968, are widely used, other possible cut-off points have been proposed for elderly people. A total of 20 studies were found that were conducted in North America and Europe, with only 70,000 patients, and different age criteria. The prevalence of anaemia ranges between 3% and 63%, depending on the diagnostic criteria, age, and whether they were institutionalised or not. CONCLUSIONS: Anaemia is a very prevalent disease in elderly patients. The collection of large databases is necessary to determine more adequate diagnostic criteria.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of anaemia is an important health indicator, although there is little rigorous information gathered on the elderly population, particularly in those over 80 years old. The same criteria that are used in the general population are often used to define anaemia in the elderly. The epidemiological data collected by the WHO in 1968 (that have been used to generalise this criteria), did not include the population over 65 years-old. Two objectives are established, which includes a critical review of the available evidence on whether the criteria used to define anaemia in the adult population can be extrapolated to the elderly, and a review of publications on the prevalence of anaemia in the elderly over 80 years-old. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic bibliographic search was performed on the established objectives. RESULTS: Although the WHO criteria, based on data from 1968, are widely used, other possible cut-off points have been proposed for elderly people. A total of 20 studies were found that were conducted in North America and Europe, with only 70,000 patients, and different age criteria. The prevalence of anaemia ranges between 3% and 63%, depending on the diagnostic criteria, age, and whether they were institutionalised or not. CONCLUSIONS:Anaemia is a very prevalent disease in elderly patients. The collection of large databases is necessary to determine more adequate diagnostic criteria.