A Prospective Observational Study of Clinical, Biochemical, and Hematological Profile of Elderly Anemic Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Anemia is the most common condition in older population. Failure to diagnose anemia may lead to delayed diagnosis of treatable conditions. Therefore, this study was conducted to study the clinical, biochemical, and hematological profile of elderly anemic patients in a tertiary care center. Materials and Method: This prospective, observational study was conducted in 207 elderly patients with hemoglobin (Hb) <12 g/dL in females and <13 g/dL in males. A detailed history was obtained and thorough clinical examination and symptom analysis was done in all the patients. Hematological investigations including peripheral smear and biochemical investigations were conducted. The morphological pattern of anemia was analyzed based on red cell indices and peripheral smear. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to test the association between presenting symptoms and anemia grade. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Majority of the patients presented with moderate anemia, and the most common presenting symptoms were generalized weakness and anorexia. A significant association was observed between severity of anemia and fatigue (p=0.006), headache (p=0.04), and dyspnea (p=0.010). Patients with pallor (P=0.01) and nail changes (P=0.0005) had significantly severe anemia. All the hematological parameters were within the reference range. Normocytic anemia was the most common type of morphological anemia among elderly patients . Conclusion: The incidence of anemia was quite high among elderly patients with chronic diseases and malignancies. Hence, it is very important to diagnose the cause of anemia by detailed investigations before initiating the required therapy.