TITLE:
Functional Capacity and Anemia in the Community Elderly
AUTHORS:
Barbara Gazolla Macedo, Poliana P. R. Dias, Hanna S. Camara, Carlos Maurício F. Antunes
KEYWORDS:
Anemia, Functional Capacity, Fragility, Aging
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Aging Research,
Vol.6 No.6,
November
2,
2017
ABSTRACT:
Anemia in the elderly population has been associated to clinical manifestations
such as functional dependence, low cognitive performance, increased
mortality and geriatric syndromes (dementia, delirium, depression and falls).
Recent investigations have shown an association between low hemoglobin levels,
reduction in muscular strength and physical fitness. The objective of this
review was to identify, in the scientific literature, evidence of an association
between anemia and functional capacity among older persons. PubMed and
Bireme were used as references source. The most relevant evidence pointing
towards this association was identified in the epidemiological studies Women’s
Health and Aging Studies I and II (WHAS I and II). Functional capacity
was evaluated by the walking, balance and sitting back and getting out of the
chair tests. Elderly women with either 13 or 14 g/dl have a better performance
compared to women with 12 g/dl of hemoglobin, respectively. This study also
reported an increase in the mortality risk among women (65 years old and
plus) living in community with less than 13.4 g/dl of hemoglobin. Participants
were followed for 11 years. WHAS I and II investigators suggested a new criterion,
already adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), to define
anemia among elderly women. Conclusion: anemia is common among the elderly
and may have an involvement in the impairment of their functional capacity.
However, in spite of the importance of these findings, it should be
emphasized that an etiologic association (anemia as a cause of functional impairment)
has yet to be demonstrated.