Distribution of haemoglobin in patients presenting to their general practitioner, and its correlation with serum ferritin.
We have conducted a survey in the United Kingdom in order to evaluate the prevalence of anaemia and of iron deficiency in elderly male and female patients and in female patients of child-bearing age presenting to their general practitioner. Although haemoglobin values were approximately normally distributed, there was evidence of a bimodal distribution of serum ferritin values, particularly in elderly men. A correlation between serum ferritin and haemoglobin values was found to exist, both in the elderly and in younger women. The overall prevalence of anaemia in the study population was 14.3%, although it was higher for elderly men (20.1%) than either elderly women (13.7%) or women of child-bearing age (11.9%). Iron deficiency associated with anaemia was more common in elderly men (45.2% of those anaemic) than elderly women (28.6%) or women of child-bearing age (25.6%). This survey indicates that the prevalence of anaemia among certain groups of high risk patients presenting for consultation to their general practitioner is about 1 in 7, although the prevalence is as high as 1 in 5 in elderly men.
Challand
G S
GS
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, UK.
Michaeloudis
A
A
Watfa
R R
RR
Coles
S J
SJ
Macklin
J L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins