FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE ANEMIA OF CHRONIC DISORDERS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

Erythropoietin secretion was evaluated in the anaemia of chronic disor ders in elderly patients, since it has been shown that this secretion is impaired in adults, We looked for a possible role of inflammatory c ytokines: tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-1 be ta (IL-1 beta) on erythropoietin production, The influence of nutritio nal status on the anaemia was also investigated, Erythropoietin secret ion was significantly increased in elderly patients with anaemia of ch ronic disorders (ACD) and inversely correlated with haemoglobin concen trations in infectious and inflammatory diseases, Plasma TNF alpha lev els were significantly enhanced only in cancerous patients, but no cor relation could be established between TNF alpha and erythropoietin or haemoglobin, No noticeable increase of IL-1 beta levels was observed i n ACD, These findings suggest that systemic TNF alpha or IL-1 beta are not involved in the erythropoietin response to ACD, Albumin levels we re decreased in anaemic patients, Further investigations of the effect s of a nutritional supplementation in elderly patients with ACD may be of interest.