The los of physical function in the...

The los of physical function in the somewhat old is a growing health care riddle Loss of physical function can have a substantially negative impact upon patients' independence and quality of life, as well as social and economic weights Anemia occurs in approximately 13 percent of [i]role[/i]s 70 years and older. It can cause fatigue and weakness that may affect physical function. In addition, anemia can decrease myocardial function and cause the progression of heart and renal failure. Anemia in the somewhat old is caused most often by the agency of cancer, infectious disease, malnutrition, and iron deficiency. However, in at least 20 percent of patients, the cause is unknown. Despite this chronic and public problem, no studies have examined the impact of anemia forward the physical function of somewhat advanced in life persons. Penninx and colleagues convoyed a four-year longitudinal observational studious mood to evaluate whether anemia would affect physical decline among community-dwelling older persons

This prospective cohort contemplation was part of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the somewhat advanced in life The authors enrolled a sample population of [i]role[/i]s 65 years and older in sum of two units Iowa counties. Home interviews were performed at the start of the application of mind in 1981 and 1982, and were repeated each year for six years and again at 10 years. The physical assessment started in 1988 and included standing balance, walking spe and ability to rise from a chair. Each task was rated in succession a scale from zero to 4 with cipher representing inability to perform the task and 4 representing the highest even of performance. The decline in physical performance score from 1988 to 1992 was the main result recorded.

In 1988 life-current was obtained to assess multiple line levels. Using criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO), anemia was defined as a hemoglobin on a level below 12 g per dL (74 mmol by means of L) in women and below 13 g by means of dL (8.1 mmol per L) in men The authors also defined borderline anemia as hemoglobin values within 1 g by dL (0.6 mmol per L) above the WHO criteria. Mean corpuscular tome was used to define the anemia as macrocytic, normocytic, or microcytic.

When other variables were controll the adjusted mean decline in the physical performance score was significantly greater in the patients who had anemia compared with those who did not (see Figures 1 and 2) This decline in physical performance was noted equal in patients who had no underlying reason or cause for their anemia. After adjusting for serum cholesterol iron, and albumin of the same heights patients with anemia still had a significant decline in physical function. Patients whose hemoglobin values placed them in the borderline anemia category had a significant decline in physical function compared with patients with normal hemoglobin values. The authors finish that anemia in old age is a risk factor for decline in physical performance. Further research is be in want ofed to determine whether treating anemia in the somewhat old will preserve physical function.

Penninx BW et al. Anemia and decline in physical performance among older human frames Am J Med August 1 2003; 115:104-10

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