Age-related changes in peripheral blood counts in humans

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Hematology
• Public Health

Background:

• Anaemia is a prevalent concern in geriatric populations.
• Current World Health Organization (WHO) anaemia definitions may not accurately reflect elderly health.
• Prevalence of anaemia varies significantly based on ethnicity, lifestyle, and fitness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the appropriateness of current WHO anaemia criteria in the elderly.
• To analyze peripheral blood parameters in a large cohort of elderly individuals.
• To propose age-adjusted anaemia diagnostic criteria for geriatric populations.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of peripheral blood parameters from 1,724 individuals (908 women, 816 men).
• Exclusion of patients with hematological malignancies, chronic infections, inflammation, kidney, thyroid, or stomach disorders, bleeding history, hemolysis, or prior anaemia diagnosis.
• Comparison of participant haemoglobin levels with WHO anaemia criteria.

Main Results:

• Average haemoglobin levels in men over 70 and women over 80 met WHO anaemia criteria.
• Approximately 20% of individuals aged 60-69 were classified as anaemic.
• Anaemia prevalence increased significantly with age, reaching 63% in women and 76% in men over 90.

Conclusions:

• The current WHO definition of anaemia may overestimate its prevalence in the elderly.
• Age-adjusted diagnostic criteria are needed for anaemia in geriatric patients.
• Geriatric assessment should accompany anaemia diagnosis in the elderly.