Anemia in the frail, elderly patient

Abstract

Gabriele Röhrig1,2 1Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 2Department of Geriatrics, St Marien Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany Abstract: Anemia and frailty are two common findings in geriatric patients and have been shown to be associated with poor outcomes in this patient group. Recent studies have contributed to the growing evidence of a possible association with the age-related chronic inflammatory status known as “inflammaging”. These findings do not only give a better insight into the pathogenesis of anemia in frailty, but also offer new treatment options. The present article focuses on this assumed association between anemia, frailty, and inflammaging and summarizes current management options for anemia in frail patients. Keywords: anemia of chronic inflammation, frailty, inflammaging, eryptosis, reactive oxygen species

Keywords

• anemia of chronic inflammation (ACI)
• frailty
• inflammaging
• eryptosis
• reactive oxygen species (ROS);