3.3 Effect of erythropoiesis- stimulating agents and iron
3.3.4 Elderly patients
| Evidence Statements – community-dwelling elderly |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES3.30 | In community-dwelling elderly patients with anaemia who are ambulatory, the effect of ESAs on mortality is uncertain. | NA | NA | |||
| ES3.31 | In community-dwelling elderly patients with anaemia who are ambulatory, the effect of ESAs on thromboembolic events is uncertain. | NA | NA | |||
| ES3.32 | In community-dwelling elderly patients with anaemia who are ambulatory, the effect of ESAs on functional or performance status is uncertain. | NA | X | |||
ES, evidence statement; ESA, erythropoiesis-stimulating agent
=B; =C; X=D; NA,not applicable (see Table 2.1)
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents – elderly patients
A single fair-quality RCT (Level II) of anaemic elderly patients receiving ESAs did not identify an effect on mortality or the incidence of thromboembolic complications.122 ESA treatment was associated with functional improvement.