Treatment options for anemia in the elderly.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the challenges and potential of iron supplementation in treating anemia in the elderly, including diagnostic limitations and emerging therapeutic options.
Results Summary
The study highlights that iron supplementation has been underutilized due to diagnostic challenges and adverse effects of traditional preparations, but newer formulations and innovative drugs like hepcidin modulators show promise for improving treatment outcomes.
Population
Elderly individuals with anemia, particularly those with comorbidities.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
transfusions | no change | therapeutic approaches to anemia in elderly | elderly | - | limited | #1 |
supplementation with hematinics, including group B vitamins and iron | no change | therapeutic approaches to anemia in elderly | elderly | - | limited | #2 |
iron supplementation | decrease | treatment of anemia in elderly | elderly | - | underutilized | #3 |
new oral and intravenous iron preparations | increase | treatment of anemia | elderly | - | look promising | #4 |
innovative anti-anemic drugs, like hepcidin modulators, Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) stabilizers, and activin type II receptor agonists | increase | therapeutic armamentarium to anemia in elderly | elderly | - | may substantially improve | #5 |
Anemia in elderly (AE), though often mild, is quite common and independently associated with important clinical outcomes, including decreased quality of life, risk of falls and fractures, cognitive decline, increased length of hospital stay, and even mortality. AE is generally overlooked, and hence undertreated, especially when comorbidities distract the attention of physicians and caregivers. This also partially reflects difficulties in dissecting the cause(s) of AE, which is typically multifactorial, as well as our limited diagnostic approach often categorizing AE as apparently "unexplained". Therapeutic approaches have been traditionally limited to transfusions, or supplementation with hematinics, including group B vitamins and iron. The latter has been largely underutilized, because of missing diagnosis of iron deficiency using inappropriate laboratory thresholds, as well as complex schedule and adverse effects associated with traditional preparations. After decades of stagnation, new oral and intravenous iron preparations look promising, particularly in the elderly. Moreover, a number of innovative anti-anemic drugs, like hepcidin modulators, Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) stabilizers, and activin type II receptor agonists are entering the clinical arena and may substantially improve our therapeutic armamentarium to AE in the near future.