| Abstrakt: |
Background: Anemia is a global health problem in older adult population because of the high prevalence and associated significant morbidity and mortality. The reported prevalence of anemia in the elderly is 2.9%-51% and correlates with advanced age and multiple related conditions, including iron deficiency, inflammatory conditions, malignancy and low serum erythropoietin. The simultaneous occurrence of multiple causes of anemia is common in elderly. Elderly patients with anemia are heterogeneous in terms of clinical history, co-existing medical conditions and concomitant medication use than young adults. In elderly anemia is associated with poor performance status, increased dementia, depression, reduced mobility, increased risk of falls and poor quality of life. Materials and methods: Geriatric patients of age group more than 60 years attending OPD of Medicine Department and Pathology were enrolled over a period of 1 year. The study was approved by CMR Institute of Medical Sciences institutional ethics committee. Total number of subjects taken for study was 90. A written informed consent from all subjects was taken after explaining the need for study. Relevant details were recorded in case record form. Patient data obtained was kept confidential, only the study parameter data which does not identify the patient was used for analysis of the study. Thorough clinical and hematological examination was carried out on patient. WHO criteria was used to define anemia. Result: A total of 90 cases of anaemia were studied in elderly patients. Males 71.1% were dominant in numbers compared to females i.e. 28.9%. The age group of patients ranged from 60 to 91 years and above. The mean age of elderly patients was found to be 67 years, with maximum patients in 60-70 age groups i.e. 53.3%, followed by 22.2% in the age group of 71-80 years, 18.9% in 81-90 years and 5.6% in 91 and above age group. Distribution based on type of anaemia as per characteristics of peripheral smear, the maximum patients shows normocytic normochromic anemia constituted 48.9%, followed by microcytic hypochromic anemia constituted 18.9%, macrocytic anemia constituted 14.4%, dimorphic anemia constituted 12.2% and normocytic hypochromic anemia constituted 5.6%. Distribution of geriatric patients based on clinical presentation, the most common presentation was generalised weakness i.e. 37.8%, followed by breathlessness which constituted to 25.6%, giddiness which constituted to 12.2%, abdomen pain which constituted to 8.9%, loss of weight which constituted to 7.8%, loss of appetite which constituted to 4.4%, headache which constituted to 2.2% and diabetes which constituted to 1.1%. Conclusion: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
