Anaemia in a Group of Elderly Patients

Anaemia in Geriatric Patients

“…The 6.4% incidence of anaemia in the present survey is low compared with the 41% found by Bedford and Wollner (1953) and the 37% by Lawson (1960). The low incidence in our survey is partly the result of selecting the arbitrary lower limit of the normal haemoglobin range as 10 g/100 ml.…”

“…Normoblastic anaemia with plentiful marrow was the most prevalent type of anaemia found in two Scottish surveys (Lawson, 1960;Grant, 1963). By contrast normocytic normochromic anaemia constituted only 6% of the anaemia found in the present survey.…”

Anaemia in Patients in a Psychiatric Hospital

“…Lawson (1960) reported an incidence of anaemia of 26% in patients over 60 years of age admitted to a geriatric hospital. Grant (1962) over five years assessed the incidence of anaemia also in patients admitted to a geriatric hospital, and found this to be 22%.…”

“…In this group too the incidence of anaemia in the elderly was signifi cantly greater than the incidence in the elderly outside hospital (1958). As with Lawson's (1960) investigations of anaemia in the elderly, iron deficiency is seen to be an important cause of anaemia in both males and females but more particularly in males in whom it is commonly associated with recent blood loss.…”

Drug Hazards in the Elderly

“…Such patients break down mentally very easily under the stress of disease and treatment. In geriatric units, the incidence of anaemia on admission is over 30% so that a routine blood count is worthwhile (Lawson, 1960;Bedford and Wollner, 1958;Manor, 1964). Urinary infection is also very common and should be sought by urinalysis and urine culture.…”