Hematological parameters and all-cause mortality: a prospective study of older people

• Published in: Aging clinical and experimental research Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 517 - 526
• Main Authors: Frąckiewicz, Joanna, Włodarek, Dariusz, Brzozowska, Anna, Wierzbicka, Elżbieta, Słowińska, Małgorzata Anna, Wądołowska, Lidia, Kałuża, Joanna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.05.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aging - physiology; Biomarkers - blood; Cause of Death; Erythrocyte Count; Erythrocyte Indices; Female; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Health risk assessment; Hematocrit; Hematology; Hemoglobin; Hemoglobins - analysis; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mortality; Older people; Original; Original Article; Poland; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Poland; Gender; Hematological parameters; Prospective study; Mortality; Older people
• ISSN: 1720-8319; 1594-0667; 1720-8319
• DOI: 10.1007/s40520-017-0791-y

Background The effect of low and high concentration of some hematological parameters in the blood can have a negative impact on health. Aim Therefore, we investigated the associations between hematological parameters and all-cause mortality among older people living in Poland. Methods The study was carried out among 75–80-year-old participants ( n  = 403) from Warsaw and Olsztyn regions, Poland. Information on lifestyle factors and food consumption were obtained at baseline (June 1, 1999) using a self-administered questionnaire. Red blood cell, haemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were determined. The data on deaths from all-causes were collected from the baseline until October 31, 2006. During an average of 7.4 years of follow-up, we ascertained 154 cases of death from all-causes. Results Compared with men in the lowest tertile of MCV, MCH, and MCHC, the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality in those in the highest tertile were 0.35 (95% CI, 0.17–0.73), 0.32 (95% CI, 0.16–0.67), and 0.44 (95% CI, 0.22–0.88), respectively. In contrast, among women after combining the second and the third tertiles of MCV, MCH, and MCHC, the HRs were 2.01 (95% CI, 1.01–3.99), 1.71 (95% CI, 0.85–3.43), and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.62–1.94), respectively. Discussion/conclusion We observed inverse associations between some hematological parameters and all-cause mortality among men, but not among women. This may be explained by a difference in iron metabolism, iron status, hormone regulations, or the occurrence of some diseases.