Prevalence of anemia and its impact on the state of frailty in elderly people living in the community: SADEM study.

Abstract

Anemia represents a global health problem that negatively impacts quality of life in elderly population; however, its impact on the geriatric syndrome of frailty is unclear. We examined the prevalence of anemia among elderly and sought a relationship between hemoglobin and the phenotype of frailty. Baseline hemoglobin quintiles and anemia were assessed in relation to frailty status in a prospective study with 1,933 older community-dwelling adults enrolled in the Study on Aging and Dementia in Mexico (SADEM). Logistic regression was used to model the relationship between frailty and Hb, adjusting for risk factors of frailty, sociodemographic data, cognitive decline, chronic diseases, and some risky habits. Prevalence of frailty was 8.3 %. Frailty risk was highest at the lowest hemoglobin quintile (<14.3 g/dL for men; <13.3 g/dL for women), and 160 (8.3 %) were anemic (<13 g/dL for men; <12 g/dL for women). The relationship between frailty and Hb levels, adjusted for age and sex, observed in the first and fifth quintiles, compared with the fourth quintile, were 1.53 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.46-1.60) and 1.05 (95 % CI, 1.01-1.15). After multivariate adjustment, the odds ratios (ORs) were 1.23 (95 % CI, 1.17-1.13) and 1.06 (95 % CI, 1.01-1.11). The association was not diminished by risk factors for frailty (body mass index (BMI), comorbidity, cognitive decline, smoking, alcohol consumption, etc.). In community-dwelling older adults, low hemoglobin concentrations and anemia were independently associated with increased frailty risk. This suggests that mild anemia and low Hb levels are independent, modifiable risk factors for frailty.

• Authors: Teresa Juárez-Cedillo, Lourdes Basurto-Acevedo, Sara Vega-García, Leticia Manuel-Apolinar, Emiliano Cruz-Tesoro, José Manuel Rodríguez-Pérez, Normand García-Hernández, Nonanzit Pérez-Hernández, José Manuel Fragoso
• Journal: Annals of hematology (Ann Hematol) Vol. 93 Issue 12 Pg. 2057-62 (Dec 2014) ISSN: 1432-0584 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 25005679 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Hemoglobins

Topics

• Activities of Daily Living
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Alcohol Drinking (epidemiology)
• Anemia (epidemiology)
• Body Mass Index
• Chronic Disease
• Cognition Disorders (epidemiology)
• Comorbidity
• Depression (epidemiology)
• Female
• Frail Elderly (statistics & numerical data)
• Hemoglobins (analysis)
• Humans
• Male
• Mexico (epidemiology)
• Middle Aged
• Prevalence
• Prospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Smoking (epidemiology)
• Urban Population