Epidemiology of anemia

Worldwide, the prevalence of anemia is high, and iron deficiency anemia is the fifth most common disorder according to the study called "Global burden of disease". It can be attributed to a number of factors, complex pathomechanisms, and etiology is highly variable in terms of age, gender, and geographical distribution. The prevalence of anemia increases with age. Demographic change and the aging of the population are now faster than in previous decades, posing major challenges to societies and health systems. The mean prevalence of anemia in the elderly is 17%, but significantly higher among nursing-home (47%) and hospitalized elderly (40%). The cause is usually multifactorial and often, due to comorbidities, several mechanisms are involved at the same time. The prevalence of preoperative anemia was higher (35%) than the prevalence of anemia in the general population, and evidence showed an unfavorable effect on postoperative morbidity and mortality. Timely identification and correction is a multidisciplinary task and a shared responsibility for both Patient Blood Management program and improving the patients' life expectancy. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(37): 1569-1573.