[Comparison of the prevalence of anemia among elderly groups]

Although anemia is common among the elderly, available data for anemia among them are limited in Japan. The aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of anemia among elderly groups, and evaluate factors attributable to anemia.

We enrolled 284 elderly residents in 2 long-term health care facilities, and 1,019 people aged 65 and over who visited outpatient clinics for medical checkups in 1 hospital all located in urban areas in Hiroshima. Hematological data from the 2004 National Nutrition Survey in Japan were cited for comparison.

Based on the WHO criteria for anemia, more than half of the residents in both health care facilities were anemic, regardless of gender. However, the prevalence of anemia among elderly people visiting outpatient clinics at hospital was only about 6% for both genders. Analysis of underlying diseases among residents of the health care facility did not reveal any association between a particular disease and anemia. Total serum protein values were significantly lower in the elderly in health care facilities than in those of the elderly of the outpatient clinics, and they showed weak statistical correlations with anemic state in the former group. Finally, the elderly in outpatient clinics showed significantly lower prevalence of anemia compared to the elderly in the National Nutrition Survey in Japan, partly due to selection bias.

The prevalence of anemia in the elderly covered a broad spectrum depending on the group examined. Anemia in the elderly was an indicator of comorbidity.