TY - JOUR
T1 - Folate status and folate related anemia
T2 - A comparative cross-sectional study of long-term care and post-acute care psychogeriatric patients
AU - Arinzon, Zeev
AU - Fidelman, Zeev
AU - Peisakh, Alexander
AU - Adunsky, Abraham
PY - 2004/9
Y1 - 2004/9
N2 - Aging is associated with increased risk of anemia, poor nutrition, chronic illness, and impaired folate status. We aimed to investigate and compare folate status in long-term care psychogeriatric patients (LTCPP) and in post-acute care psychogeriatric patients (PACPP). This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a psychogeriatric medical center with long-term care and post-acute care wards. A total number of 553 LTCPP and 373 PACPP were studied. Low serum folic acid levels were found in 10% of LTCPP and in 13% of PACPP. Folic acid anemia (FAA) was found in 67% of LTCPP and 87% of PACPP (P=0.046) with low serum folate levels. Mean levels of serum folate were similar but red blood cells folate (RBC-folate) was higher in PACPP (P=0.025) and in males compared with women (P=0.009). 56% of PACPP and 68% of LTCPP who had folic acid anemia presented with another type of anemia. Anemia of chronic disease was the most frequent coexisting anemia and was found in 65% of LTCPP and 52% of PACPP, followed by B12 deficiency anemia and iron deficiency anemia. We conclude that PACPP represent only a slightly different group, compared with LTCPP, with regard to the folate status. These high rates of folate and RBC-folate deficiencies, as well as of FAA and coexisting anemia, call for a routine evaluation of folate status in all psychogeriatric patients, whether LTCPP or PACPP.
AB - Aging is associated with increased risk of anemia, poor nutrition, chronic illness, and impaired folate status. We aimed to investigate and compare folate status in long-term care psychogeriatric patients (LTCPP) and in post-acute care psychogeriatric patients (PACPP). This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a psychogeriatric medical center with long-term care and post-acute care wards. A total number of 553 LTCPP and 373 PACPP were studied. Low serum folic acid levels were found in 10% of LTCPP and in 13% of PACPP. Folic acid anemia (FAA) was found in 67% of LTCPP and 87% of PACPP (P=0.046) with low serum folate levels. Mean levels of serum folate were similar but red blood cells folate (RBC-folate) was higher in PACPP (P=0.025) and in males compared with women (P=0.009). 56% of PACPP and 68% of LTCPP who had folic acid anemia presented with another type of anemia. Anemia of chronic disease was the most frequent coexisting anemia and was found in 65% of LTCPP and 52% of PACPP, followed by B12 deficiency anemia and iron deficiency anemia. We conclude that PACPP represent only a slightly different group, compared with LTCPP, with regard to the folate status. These high rates of folate and RBC-folate deficiencies, as well as of FAA and coexisting anemia, call for a routine evaluation of folate status in all psychogeriatric patients, whether LTCPP or PACPP.
KW - Anemia in elderly
KW - Folic acid
KW - Long-term care
KW - Post-acute care
KW - Psychogeriatrics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3042834240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.archger.2004.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.archger.2004.02.005
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AN - SCOPUS:3042834240
SN - 0167-4943
VL - 39
SP - 133
EP - 142
JO - Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
JF - Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
IS - 2
ER -