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Vol. 42. Issue S1.
Pages 60-61 (October 2020)
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Vol. 42. Issue S1.
Pages 60-61 (October 2020)
PP 46
Open Access
The frequency of anemia in the elderly patient population in Van Province, Turkey. A cross-sectional study
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O. Ekinci1,*, E. Eker2
1 Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Fırat University, Elazığ, Turkey
2 Clinic of Internal Medicine, Van Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Van, Turkey
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Objective: Anemia is a common health problem among elderly patients and its prevalence increases with aging. Although it used to be considered as a natural consequence of aging in the past, many current studies indicate that anemia reflects a deterioration of health status and leads to unfavorable consequences if not treated. This study aims to determine the prevalence and morphological distribution of anemia among elderly patients who presented to the hospital during a certain time period.

Methodology: Hemogram parameters of all patients aged 60 or older who attended our hospital for any reason between April 2018 and October 2018 was reviewed. Anemia was defined according to the criteria by the World Health Organization (WHO), as a hemoglobin level lower than 12g/dL in females and 13g/dL in males. Cases of anemia were classified based on the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) results of the patients as microcytic, normocytic, or macrocytic. The prevalence and morphological classification of anemia were examined with respect to age and gender.

Results: Of 1192 total patients, 608 (51%) were female. The majority of the patients were in the 60–70-year range, with a rate of 60.3% (718). Mean age was 69.70±7.55 years in females and 69.8±7.15 in males, with no significant difference (p=0.680). Anemia was detected in 340 patients (28.5%) in total. The rate of anemia was 24.8% in females and 32.4% in males, and the prevalence of anemia was significantly different between genders (p=0.004). Mean hemoglobin level was found as 13±1.89g/dL in females and as 13.7±2.24g/dL in males, with a significant difference between genders (p=0.001). Mean MCV was higher in males than in females with a significant difference (84.98±6.32 vs. 87.15±7.28fl, p=0.001). According to morphological classification; 66 patients (19.4%) had microcytic anemia, 245 (72.1%) had normocytic anemia, and 29 (8.5%) had macrocytic anemia. Distribution of anemia across age groups revealed 169 (23.5%) patients with anemia in the 60–70-years age group, with a significant difference between genders (69 [18.2%] vs. 100 [29.6%], p=0.001). The prevalence of anemia was different between genders in both the 60–70-years and ≥81 years groups; however, these differences were not statistically significant (respectively, 52 [14.6%] vs. 66 [18.5%], p=0.426 and 30 [25.6%] vs. 23 [19.7%], p=0.295).

Conclusion: In daily practice, determining the prevalence of anemia in the elderly patient group and, if possible, its distribution according to etiologic factors, may provide practical knowledge regarding the approach to be adopted towards patients in a certain region. In our study, the prevalence of anemia in patients aged 60 or older, and the distribution of anemia based on morphological classification were determined. The major limitation of this study is that etiologic distribution could not be revealed. However, we think that our study still provides important insight and awareness regarding the elderly anemic patient population in our region. It will contribute to the studies that will be conducted in the same region.

Idiomas
Hematology, Transfusion and Cell Therapy
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