Older people with anaemia have higher mortality after stroke, finds study

Risk for older anaemics after stroke

Older people with anaemia have higher mortality for up to one year after having a stroke, an analysis of stroke registry data and a systematic review have shown.1

Anaemia is common in patients with acute stroke, with hospital studies reporting a prevalence of around 30%. It is associated with increased mortality in a range of conditions—including chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and acute coronary syndromes—but observational studies of the impact of anaemia on stroke have shown conflicting results so guidelines have been unable to define optimal treatment for patients …