SUMMARY. We have conducted a survey in the United Kingdom in order to evaluate the prevalence of anaemia and of iron deficiency in elderly male and female patients and in female patients of child-bearing age presenting to their general practitioner. Although haemoglobin values were approximately normally distributed, there was evidence of a bimodal distribution of serum ferritin values, particularly in elderly men. A correlation between serum ferritin and haemoglobin values was found to exist, both in the elderly and in younger women.The overall prevalence of anaemia in the study population was 14'3%, although it was higher for elderly men (20,1%) than either elderly women (13'7%) or women of child-bearing age (11'9%). Iron deficiency associated with anaemia was more common in elderly men (45,2% of those anaemic) than elderly women (28'6%) or women of child-bearing age (25'6%).This survey indicates that the prevalence of anaemia among certain groups of high risk patients presenting for consultation to their general practitioner is about 1 in 7, although the prevalence is as high as 1 in 5 in elderly men.
Additional key phrases: ferritin; anaemia; general practiceAnaemia may be one of the more prevalent undiagnosed conditions in the community. Previous studies of haemoglobin concentrations have used random samples of the general population. H In these studies, the criteria for anaemia have ranged from a haemoglobin concentration below 12·5 to 13'Og/dL for men and 11·5 to 12·0g/dl, for women. Excluding pregnant women, the prevalence of anaemia was variously estimated as between 2·9% and 13·25% for men and 2·4% and 20·0% for women. Certain groups are thought to be at risk, specifically women of child-bearing age and the elderly.Serum ferritin concentrations correlate well with body iron stores, and can be used as indicators of iron deficiency or overload.':" Ferritin concentrations in women tend to be lower than in men, which is thought to reflect decreased iron stores through iron loss in menstruation.
