Repeated falls common in old age anaemia

Anaemia in older age is common and is associated with an increased risk of recurrent falls. Researchers from the VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, analysed the data from 394 subjects between the ages of 65 and 88 years of age who were enrolled in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. The researchers used World Health Organization criteria to define anaemia based on the results of standard laboratory tests. The subjects kept a weekly record of their falls for three years. Participants who fell at least twice within six months during the three-year follow-up were classified as recurrent fallers. It was found that 12 percent of subjects had anaemia, including 15 percent of men and 9 percent of women. Twenty-two percent of participants reported at least one fall. Recurrent falls occurred in 38.3 percent of those with anaemia and 19.6 percent of those without anaemia. The study suggests that anaemia might directly affect muscle quality. Some studies have shown that reduced levels of haemoglobin, affects the delivery of oxygen to the muscles and consequently affects muscular strength. Anaemia has also been associated with higher inflammation levels, which may negatively affect physical performance, disability, strength and muscle mass.