title: Significance of a low serum ferritin level in elderly in-patients.
abstract: Iron deficiency, defined as a serum ferritin level less than or equal to 50 micrograms/l was found in 28 (11%) of 252 consecutive elderly in-patients (mean age 81 years). Sixteen among them were anaemic and only five had a microcytic anaemia. In a separate study, 15 anaemic and 13 non-anaemic iron-deficient elderly in-patients were investigated in order to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and lesions in both groups. In nine of the anaemic and seven of the non-anaemic patients a potential cause for the iron deficiency was established. Most anaemic and non-anaemic patients lacked the symptoms described as suggestive of underlying gastrointestinal pathology. Thus, a ferritin level less than or equal to 50 micrograms/l justifies a gastrointestinal investigation if the general condition allows for it as well in anaemic as in non-anaemic elderly hospitalized patients. Therefore, serum ferritin should be part of the routine biochemical investigation of elderly in-patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospitals, K.U. Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Joosten
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dereymaeker
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pelemans
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins