Abstract
Background and objectivesThe present study aimed to investigate the relation between anemia and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration, physical performance, and cognitive function in a large sample of Iranian elderly population.MethodsData were collected from Bushehr elderly health (BEH) program. A total of 3000 persons aged ≥60 years were selected through multistage random sampling. Hemoglobin values lower than 12 and 13 g/dL were considered as anemia for women and men, respectively. The cognitive function was measured using the Mini-cog test and Category fluency test (CFT), and the physical function was measured using handgrip strength (muscle strength), Relative handgrip strength (RHGS), and 4.57-m usual gait speed. Univariate and adjusted multivariate logistic regression and linear regression with Stata MP (version 15) were run, and a p-value of < 0.05 was used as statistically significant for all analyses.ResultsAmong participants, 7.43% were anemic, and 115 (51.57%) simultaneously had anemia and cognitive disorder. There were significant associations between red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hgb), platelet count (PLT), and hematocrit percentage (HCT) with cognitive impairment. Additionally, Hgb concentration was significantly associated with all physical measures (Mean handgrip, Relative handgrip, and usual gait speed) and late recall (mini-cog) among the whole participants. This association remained statistically significant after considering multi-cofounders. In contrast, after stratifying the participants by gender, the association between Hgb concentration and usual gait speed was decreased in both men and women; moreover, Hgb association with cognitive measures (category fluency test and late recall) was no longer significant (all p-values > 0.05).ConclusionThere was a cross-sectional and significant association between anemia and functional variables (e.g., Relative and mean handgrip) in Iranian elderly population, whereas Semantic memory, Late recall, and walking were more affected by gender.
Highlights
Background and objectivesThe present study aimed to investigate the relation between anemia and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration, physical performance, and cognitive function in a large sample of Iranian elderly population
The most acceptable definition is presented by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is defined as a hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration of lower than 13 g/dl (> 13 g/dl) for men and lower than 12 g/dl (> 12 g/dl) for women [1]
Aging is associated with functional disabilities and age-related diseases, which result in a significant increase in the therapeutic costs and influences in socioeconomic status [9]
Summary
The present study aimed to investigate the relation between anemia and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration, physical performance, and cognitive function in a large sample of Iranian elderly population. Anemia is not considered a disease entity, it may have some adverse effects on health and could be associated with several clinical complications like reduced muscle strength, physical performance, cognitive impairment, and dementia [6,7,8]. According to the World Population Prospects, the number of older adults over 65 is expected to rise from 703 million in 2019 to 1.5 billion in 2050. Cognitive impairment (CI) is a common complication of aging increasing, especially in developing countries. The most massive increases are expected in the countries with the highest rates of anemia [11, 13]
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