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Open Access 01-12-2019 | Anemia | Research article

Association between anemia and frailty in 13,175 community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older in China

Authors: Ye Ruan, Yanfei Guo, Paul Kowal, Ye Lu, Chazhen Liu, Shuangyuan Sun, Zhezhou Huang, Yang Zheng, Wenjing Wang, Gan Li, Yan Shi, Fan Wu

Published in: BMC Geriatrics | Issue 1/2019

Abstract

Background

Anemia and frailty contribute to poor health outcomes in older adults; however, most current research in lower income countries has concentrated on anemia or frailty alone rather than in combination. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between anemia and frailty in community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older in China.

Methods

The study population was sourced from the 2007/10 SAGE China Wave 1. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin less than 13 g/dL for men and less than 12 g/dL for women. A Frailty Index (FI) was compiled to assess frailty. The association between anemia and frailty was evaluated using a 2-level hierarchical logistic model.

Results

The prevalence of anemia was 31.0% (95%CI: 28.4, 33.8%) and frailty 14.7% (95%CI: 13.5, 16.0%). In the univariate regression model, presence of anemia was significantly associated with frailty (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.90) and the effect remained consistent after adjusting for various potential confounding factors including age, gender, residence, education, household wealth, fruit and vegetable intake, tobacco use, alcohol comsumption and physical activity (adjusted OR = 1.31, 95% CI:1.09, 1.57). Each 1 g/dL increase in hemoglobin concentration was associated with 4% decrease in the odds of frailty after adjusting for several confounding variables (adjusted OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.99).

Conclusion

Anemia and low hemoglobin concentrations were significantly associated with frailty. Therefore, health care professionals caring for older adults should increase screening, assessment of causes and treatment of anemia as one method of avoiding, delaying or even reversing frailty.

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Title: Association between anemia and frailty in 13,175 community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older in China
Authors: Ye Ruan
Yanfei Guo
Paul Kowal
Ye Lu
Chazhen Liu
Shuangyuan Sun
Zhezhou Huang
Yang Zheng
Wenjing Wang
Gan Li
Yan Shi
Fan Wu
Publication date: 01-12-2019
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Anemia
Published in: BMC Geriatrics / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2318
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1342-5

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