Association of anemia with all-cause mortality in Chinese centenarians: a prospective cohort study

Wangping Jia1, Shengshu Wang2, Shanshan Yang3

  • 1Department of Wound Infection and Drug, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.

Insights

Anemia significantly increases all-cause mortality risk in Chinese centenarians. Severe anemia nearly doubles the mortality risk, highlighting the need for further research into its causes.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Hematology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Anemia is a common condition in older adults.
  • Its impact on mortality in the oldest-old population, specifically centenarians, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between anemia and all-cause mortality in Chinese centenarians.
  • To explore the dose-response relationship between anemia severity and mortality risk.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study involving 1002 Chinese centenarians from the China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study (CHCCS).
  • Anemia was defined by hemoglobin levels: <130 g/L for men and <120 g/L for women.
  • Data collected through blood analysis, home interviews, and physical examinations over a 9-year follow-up period.

Main Results:

  • A total of 929 deaths (92.7%) occurred during the follow-up.
  • Anemia was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 1.289, 95% CI: 1.117-1.489).
  • A dose-response relationship was observed; severe anemia increased mortality risk by approximately 1.6 times (HR 1.662, 95% CI: 1.154-2.394).

Conclusions:

  • Anemia is a significant risk factor for all-cause mortality in Chinese centenarians.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the etiology of anemia and specific causes of death in this population.
Abstract