Prevalence of anemia and malnutrition and their association in elderly nursing home residents.

PURPOSE: Malnutrition is one of the most important geriatric syndromes in the elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between anemia and malnutrition in elderly nursing home residents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Local nursing home residents over 60 years old in the Izmir were included in the study. Blood samples were taken from study participants for hemogram, iron, ferritin, total iron-binding capacity, vitamin B12 and folic acid analysis. WHO criteria were used to define anemia. Causes of anemia were classified as iron deficiency, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, anemia of chronic disease or other hematologic causes. Anemia was defined as the dependent variable and malnutrition was defined as the independent variable. Correlation between MNA scores and Hb levels was determined using Pearson correlation analysis. The slope of causality between malnutrition and anemia was determined using the χ (2) test and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: The study included 257 elderly nursing home residents with a mean age of 78.5 ± 7.8 years. The overall prevalence of anemia was 54.9 %; 35.8 % of the study participants were at risk of malnutrition and 8.2 % were malnourished. Anemia risk was 2.12-fold higher in participants at risk of malnutrition and 5.05-fold higher in those with malnutrition. In the participants with malnutrition or malnutrition risk, the most common cause of anemia was anemia of chronic disease (57.1 and 46.5 %, respectively).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anemia among elderly nursing home residents is high in Turkey. Malnutrition and malnutrition risk increase the incidence of anemia.