[Health status of the oldest old: functional and medical situation in centenarians]

We planned a prospective and descriptive analysis of the centenarian population in Lugo sanitary area, establishing their social, functional and medical status as well as its relationship with their basic hematological and biochemical parameters.

During the study period between January 2001 and September 2003, participants were visited at home by a doctor and a nurse. The following variables were assessed: social status, past medical history, physical examination, functional status (Barthel index), blood analysis.

54 centenarians were interviewed, 16 men and 38 women. 75.9% were widows; 87% lived with their family and 57,4% in urban areas. 79.6% had followed studies. All of them had their own incomes. Regarding past medical history, 64.8% had some visual or auditive disturbances, 81.5% were taking medical drugs, 59.3% had some surgical intervention and 46.3% had been hospitalized for medical reasons. Their vaccination status was poor. Functional status, assessed by Barthel index, showed an average of 59 +/- 36.4, higher in men (82.7 +/- 28.7) than in women (49.6 +/- 35.1) (p<0.003). Blood samples were analyzed in 51 cases, there were not significant differences among them regarding sex or physical disability.

The features of the centenarian population of Lugo are similar to other countries. It is an heterogeneous group. There are more women, but their clinical and functional status are significantly worse than in males. We have not founded a relationship between hematological and nutritional parameters and the degree of functional dependence in centenarians.