Distribution of haemoglobin in patients presenting to their general practitioner, and its correlation with serum ferritin

• Published in: Annals of clinical biochemistry Vol. 27 ( Pt 1); p. 15
• Main Authors: Challand, G S, Michaeloudis, A, Watfa, R R, Coles, S J, Macklin, J L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.01.1990
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aging - blood; Anemia - blood; Anemia - epidemiology; Family Practice; Female; Ferritins - blood; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Humans; Male; Reference Values; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 0004-5632
• DOI: 10.1177/000456329002700104

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.