Prevalence of anemia among elderly inpatients and its association with multidimensional loss of function

The purpose of this cross-sectional prospective study was to determine the prevalence of anemia among elderly hospitalized patients in Germany and to investigate its association with multidimensional loss of function (MLF). One hundred participants aged 70 years or older from two distinct wards (50 each from an emergency department and a medical ward, respectively) underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) consisting of the following six tools: Barthel Index, mini-mental state examination, clock-drawing test, timed up and go test, Esslinger transfer scale, and Daniels test. MLF as an aggregated outcome was diagnosed when three or more tests of the CGA showed an abnormal result. Anemia was defined according to WHO criteria as a hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of