title: Hematological parameters and prevalence of anemia among free-living elderly in south Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to analyze the hematological parameters, the prevalence of anemia and the association between anemia and socioeconomic conditions in an elderly community-based population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study was performed as part of the Multidimensional Study of the Elderly in Porto Alegre, Brazil (EMIPOA). An initial total of 1058 community residents aged 60 years and older were interviewed. Of these, 392 agreed to have a physical evaluation and a blood sample was taken from each. The hematological parameters analyzed in the blood samples included the hemoglobin concentration, mean cell volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW). The association between the variables and the diagnosis of anemia was assessed using the chi-squared test and a multiple logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of anemia was 12.8%. Anemia was present in 13.7% of women and in 10.4% of men. Normocytic normochromic anemia without anisocytosis was the most common type of anemia (46%). The assessment of erythrocyte morphology showed significant differences between anemic and non-anemic individuals (microcytosis = 12% vs. 1.5%, hypochromia = 40% vs. 8.8%, and anisocytosis = 26% vs. 7%). In the analysis of socioeconomic conditions, significant differences were found in respect to age and race.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of anemia increases with age and is associated with race, microcytosis, hypochromia and anisocytosis. Anemia is not a condition that should be associated only with the aging process, as it may be due to pathological conditions that occur most frequently in this age group. As a result, a diagnosis of anemia warrants adequate clinical attention.
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul - PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sgnaolin
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Engroff
authors.forename: Luísa Scheer
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ely
authors.forename: Rodolfo Herberto
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Carla Helena Augustin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Schwanke
authors.forename: Irenio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Fernanda Bueno
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Morrone
authors.forename: Geraldo Attilio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: de Carli
keywords: Aged; Aging; Anemia; Brazil; Erythrocyte indices; Hematology; Humans; Socioeconomic factors