A Study of the Types of Anaemia in Elderly Hypothyroidism

Abstract

BACKGROUND Anaemia is a very frequently occurring disorder associated with hypothyroidism especially in the elderly age group. Both conditions have similar presentations and are often confused with the nonspecific symptoms of old age. Although there is abundant data regarding relationships between hypothyroidism and anaemia in the general population, studies on the association between anaemia in hypothyroidism in the elderly population and the types of anaemia associated with elderly hypothyroidism are limited. In view of these considerations the current study, conducted at Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam, aims to seek the morphological types of anaemia associated with elderly hypothyroid patients. METHODS In the study, a total of 125 hypothyroid patients aged 60 years and above attending the outpatient and inpatient ward of the Department of Medicine, GMCH were examined clinically and through necessary investigations and the morphological types of anaemia associated with hypothyroidism were determined. RESULTS It was found that out of 125 elderly hypothyroid patients, the most common morphological type of anaemia was found to be normocytic normochromic type (59.4%) followed by macrocytic anaemia (21.6%) and microcytic hypochromic anaemia (19%). CONCLUSIONS Normocytic normochromic anaemia is the most common morphological type of anaemia associated in elderly hypothyroid patients, followed by macrocytic anaemia and microcytic anaemia.