Prevalence and etiology of anemia in the elderly: a full review

Abstract

Purpuses: to describe the prevalence and etiology of anemia in the elderly in the original studies published. Methods: systematic review of articles published between 2008 and 2013, the electronic databases PubMed and Science Direct. Using descriptors predetermined english, covering articles that used: “anemia”, “elderly”, “etiology”, used in combination. Results: was founded 77 articles. After filtering process were selected 18 studies that presented results of prevalence and etiology of anemia in the elderly. Conclusion: there was a wide range in the prevalence of anemia (5.5% to 62.6%), as well as the etiology. Hospitalized and institutionalized elderly showed a high prevalence of anemia with increased risk for mortality. Non-institutionalized elderly constituted the majority of the target population and the main cause of anemia was chronic and unexplained. The etiology of anemia found in these surveys included the three main causes of anemia in the elderly, which is by nutritional deficiencies, chronic and unexplained anemia, confirming this multifactorial disease.