Prevalence of anemia and correlation of hemoglobin with age in a geriatric screening clinic population

Abstract

A retrospective review of 1,024 charts of Geriatric Screening Clinic patients was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of anemia and degree of correlation of aging with changes in hemoglobin (Hgb) level in a healthy, elderly population (age range, 60 to 96 years; mean age, 70 years). Twelve per cent of participants were anemic overall, although there was a sex difference; more males (17.7%) were anemic than females (8.4%). Mean Hgb levels did not change significantly with age group except in males over 85 years of age. Pearson Correlation Coefficients were small for age versus Hgb in females (-0.10) as well as in males (-0.21). Likewise, linear regression slopes were small for females (-0.01) and males (-0.04). Based on this set of data, one would not expect a change in Hgb with advancing age in healthy elderly patients.