Background: The demographic transition with ageing of population is a global phenomenon and in recent years there has been an increasing
international awareness of health issues relating to aging population. Anemia represents an emerging global health problem producing a negative
impact in the quality of life among the elderly and requiring greater allocation of health resources.
Aims: To identify elderly patients with anemia and study the etiology, clinical parameters, laboratory parameters in these patients.
Methods: A total of 100 patients were enrolled in this study. The entire medical history were obtained from each of the cases including previous
medical reports and imaging studies. Complete blood counts , RBC indices,total WBC count, differential count, platelet count, haematocrit, ESR,
peripheral smears ,reticulocyte count, ferritin, iron and TIBC were recorded for each patient. The data was compiled and analyzed using Statistical
Package for social services (SPSS vs 20).
Results: Among the etiologies, iron deciency anemia was seen in 43% of patients, anemia of chronic disease in 32%, anemia of chronic kidney
disease and unexplained anemia in 11 % patients. Among clinical features the commonest symptom was easy fatiguability and commonest sign
was pallor. Peripheral smear study showed that normocytic normochromic anemia was commonest type.
Conclusion: This study showed that the commonest cause for anemia among elderly patients is iron deciency anemia followed by anemia due to
chronic disease. Geriatric anemia is a disease that often goes unreported hence every effort should be made to identify the disease and evaluate the
cause.
Patterns of Anaemia in Elderly Patients in Relation with RBC Indices
