Prevalence of anemia in skilled-nursing home residents

Anemia is a frequent problem among older persons, the prevalence of which may be particularly high in skilled-nursing facilities but recent data in this regard is lacking. The purpose of this study was to define the prevalence of anemia and its association with hospitalization in skilled-nursing home residents. We retrospectively reviewed randomly selected charts among five skilled-nursing facilities within the National Geriatrics Research Consortium (NGRC). Among 900 chronically residing patients with completed chart information, the mean and median ages were 79 years and 82 years, respectively. Eighty-seven percent of patients were 65 years or greater. Applying the World Health Organization criteria for anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dl for women and hemoglobin <13 g/dl for men), we found a 6-month point prevalence of 48%. The hospitalization rate was higher among those with more severe anemia. Few residents were treated with recombinant erythropoietin therapy or red blood cell transfusion. Anemia is very common in the nursing home, and despite being associated with increased morbidity; it is, for the most part, untreated in this setting. With an increased understanding of erythropoiesis and the availability of recombinant growth factors, future studies should evaluate the causes and potential benefits of treatment in terms of quality of life, reduced morbidity and health economics.