General characteristics of anemia in postmenopausal women and elderly men

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Hematology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Anemia is a common condition, particularly in postmenopausal women and elderly men, with diverse underlying etiologies.
• Understanding gender-specific differences in anemia causes is crucial for effective diagnosis and management in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the etiologies, causes, laboratory markers, and interventions for anemia in postmenopausal women and elderly men.
• To compare the characteristics of anemia between these two demographic groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical data from anemic patients, including postmenopausal women and elderly men.
• Grouping subjects by gender and comparing their anemia profiles, comorbidities, and diagnostic procedures.

Main Results:

• Iron deficiency anemia was prevalent in both groups, but vitamin B12 deficiency anemia was significantly more common in elderly men (28.6%) compared to women (2.6%).
• Elderly men exhibited higher rates of comorbidities (85.7%) than women (60.3%).
• Approximately half of the colonoscopies performed in the study population were deemed unnecessary.

Conclusions:

• Anemia etiology requires careful investigation in the elderly, with a higher suspicion for vitamin B12 deficiency and comorbidities in men.
• The high rate of normal colonoscopies suggests a need to refine diagnostic strategies to avoid unnecessary procedures in this demographic.