Association of vitamin D deficiency and anemia in a hospitalized geriatric population: denutrition as a confounding factor.

A. Coutard (1) , Ronan Garlantézec (2) , S. Estivin (1) , M. Andro (1) , Armelle Gentric (1)

1 BREST - SMIG - Service de Médecine Interne Gériatrique
2 Département de santé publique [Brest]

This study aimed to investigate the association between vitamin D deficiency and anemia in a hospitalized geriatric population. An observational study, at the acute care geriatric unit of Brest Hospital, France, was conducted among 226 patients aged ≥70 years consecutively hospitalized between January 22, 2010 and August 9, 2010. Vitamin D and hemoglobin levels were measured. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25(OH)D level <50 nmol/L and anemia as defined by the World Health Organization. After adjustment for albuminemia, anemia was not significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency (odds ratio (OR) = 1.37; 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.72-2.6). But anemia was significantly associated with hypoalbuminemia (OR = 2.08; 95 % CI = 1.11-3.91). Denutrition reflected by hypoalbuminemia could be a possible confounding factor in the previously described association between anemia and vitamin D deficiency.

Mots clés: Vitamin D; Anemia; Hypoalbuminemia

Domaines: Hématologie

A. Coutard, Ronan Garlantézec, S. Estivin, M. Andro, Armelle Gentric. Association of vitamin D deficiency and anemia in a hospitalized geriatric population: denutrition as a confounding factor.. Annals of Hematology, 2013, 92 (5), pp.615-9. ⟨10.1007/s00277-012-1633-9⟩. ⟨hal-00876709⟩