ON THE ASSOCIATION OF ANEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH PREVIOUS NEUROLOGICAL PATHOLOGIES (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Anemia is characterized by a decrease in the hemoglobin mass in an individual, laboratory-reported as below 12 g/dL. This pathological condition is considered the main disorder among diseases of the hematologic system, affecting approximately 33% of the world’s population. Anemia, regardless of its etiology, causes, among several symptoms, fatigue, weakness, and reduced cognitive function. Iron, in addition to being part of erythropoiesis, is essential for several brain cellular processes, including neurotransmitter synthesis, mitochondrial function, and neuronal myelination. It remains unclear to what extent hemoglobin levels are directly responsible for the increased risk of neurological deficits (e.g., by reduced tissue oxygenation), or whether the associations can be explained by underlying or concomitant vascular and metabolic alterations, mainly involving iron, folate, and vitamin B12. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia in patients with previous neurological diseases, including dementia syndromes, ischemic stroke (CVA), epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. This was a quantitative, descriptive, retrospective, documentary, population-based, or epidemiological study based on information collected from medical records at the Neurology outpatient clinic of Hospital Casa de Saúde (HCS) through a questionnaire formulated for this purpose. After data collection, quantitative, statistical, and descriptive analysis was performed. There was no correlation between the neurological diseases studied and anemia, according to Pearson's correlations. Although there was no relationship between the pathologies studied, the need for future research is highlighted given the potential interaction between anemia and neurological manifestations.