title: Association of anemia with functional and nutritional status in the German multicenter study "GeriAnaemie2013".
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anemia and malnutrition are risk factors for frailty in older people but data from multicenter studies among German geriatric inpatients are lacking. This analysis evaluated data from the multicenter study "GerAnaemie2013" commissioned by the German Geriatric Society.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved an analysis of the 579 geriatric inpatients recruited in the context of the German multicenter study "GeriAnaemie2013". Study parameters: Barthel index (BI), handgrip strength, nutritional data (e.g. loss of appetite, loss of weight and decreased food intake).
  
  
  METHODS
  in-patient age ≥70 years, exclusion criteria: current cancer disease or cancer-associated treatment. Anemia was defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 81.9 years, overall prevalence of anemia 55.1 %, mean hemoglobin (Hb) level 11.9 g/dl, average BI 50.8 points and 30.3 % of all patients were at risk of malnutrition. While univariate analysis revealed a significantly lower BI in anemic patients, this association was no longer seen in multivariate analysis. Regression analysis revealed that a drug intake of > 5 drugs/day doubles the chance of suffering from anemia with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.17 (confidence interval (CI) 1.28-3.68, p = 0.004) as well as a serum albumin level below 3.5 g/dl with an adjusted OR of 2.11 (range 1.40-3.19, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polymedication and low serum albumin were independent risk factors for anemia in geriatric patients, probably reflecting disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Herderstrasse 52, 50937, Cologne, Germany. gabriele.roehrig@uk-koeln.de.|Department of Geriatrics, St. Marien-Hospital, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany. gabriele.roehrig@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Röhrig
authors.affiliation: Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Herderstrasse 52, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Ymkje
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rücker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Epidemiology, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Ralf-Joachim
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Medical Department of Geriatrics, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann gGmbh, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lenzen-Großimlinghaus
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Geriatric Medicine, Kliniken Essen Mitte, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Willschrei
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, Dominikus Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sybille
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gebauer
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Rehabilitation, Helios Kliniken Schwerin, Schwerin, Germany.
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Modreker
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Geriatric Medicine, St. Vinzenz-Hospital Dinslaken, Dinslaken, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.affiliation: St. Marien-Hospital Borken, Department for Geriatric Medicine, Borken, Germany.|Institute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wirth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005858:Germany; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin
keywords: Albumin; Barthel index; Geriatrics; Malnutrition; Polymedication