Folate status and folate related anemia: a comparative cross-sectional study of long-term care and post-acute care psychogeriatric patients.

Frieda Schiff Warburg, Geriatric Medical Center, Netanya 42420, Israel.

Aging is associated with increased risk of anemia, poor nutrition, chronic illness, and impaired folate status. We aimed to investigate and compare folate status in long-term care psychogeriatric patients (LTCPP) and in post-acute care psychogeriatric patients (PACPP). This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a psychogeriatric medical center with long-term care and post-acute care wards. A total number of 553 LTCPP and 373 PACPP were studied. Low serum folic acid levels were found in 10% of LTCPP and in 13% of PACPP. Folic acid anemia (FAA) was found in 67% of LTCPP and 87% of PACPP (P = 0.046) with low serum folate levels. Mean levels of serum folate were similar but red blood cells folate (RBC-folate) was higher in PACPP (P = 0.025) and in males compared with women (P = 0.009). 56% of PACPP and 68% of LTCPP who had folic acid anemia presented with another type of anemia. Anemia of chronic disease was the most frequent coexisting anemia and was found in 65% of LTCPP and 52% of PACPP, followed by B12 deficiency anemia and iron deficiency anemia. We conclude that PACPP represent only a slightly different group, compared with LTCPP, with regard to the folate status. These high rates of folate and RBC-folate deficiencies, as well as of FAA and coexisting anemia, call for a routine evaluation of folate status in all psychogeriatric patients, whether LTCPP or PACPP.

PMID: 15249150 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]