title: Iron deficiency can cause cognitive impairment in geriatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Deficiency of iron, which plays an important role in oxygen transport and storage, may lead to cerebral hypoxia and cognitive decline. This relationship which was studied in children and adults was not evaluated in the elderly. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of iron deficiency on cognitive function in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a geriatric medicine outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Consecutive 2009 patients admitted to Geriatric Medicine outpatient clinic were examined and 622 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comprehensive geriatric assessment, cognitive assessment and laboratory analysis including blood count, iron, total iron binding capacity, ferritin, and transferrin saturation were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the study group was 72.5±6.5 and 439 (70.6%) were women. MMSE scores were moderately and significantly correlated with iron levels (r=0.33, p<0.001) and transferrin saturation (r=0.32, p<0.001). Transferrin saturation was significantly lower in the patients with dementia (p=0.040). It was found that patients with iron deficiency had lower MMSE scores (p<0.001) and this relationship was also present in patients without anemia (p=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study revealed a negative influence of iron deficiency on cognitive function and this influence was independent from the presence of anemia. As iron deficiency can be easily diagnosed and treated, detecting its effect on cognitive function is of importance. Screening for iron deficiency and initiating appropriate treatment should be a routine part of comprehensive geriatric assessment.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. bbdogu@gmail.com
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cankurtaran
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Haznedaroglu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halil
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ulger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ariogul
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D007501:Iron