AUTHOR=Ren Jiaojiao , Wang Zhenghe , Zhang Yujie , Zhang Peidong , Zhou Jianmeng , Zhong Wenfang , Wang Xing , Gao Pingming , Shi Xiaoming , Mao Chen 

TITLE=Is Hemoglobin Concentration a Linear Predictor of Mortality in Older Adults From Chinese Longevity Regions?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.787935

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.787935

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> The association patterns of hemoglobin (HB) concentrations with mortality among the longevity older adults are unclear. We aimed to evaluate the relationship among older adults form Chinese longevity regions.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We included 1,785 older adults aged ≥65 years (mean age, 86.7 years; 1,002 women, 783 men) from the community-based Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and Cox models with restricted cubic spline.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> In total, 999 deaths occurred during a median follow-up of 5.4 years from 2011 to 2017. Restricted cubic spline analysis found no non-linear association between HB concentrations and all-cause mortality after a full adjustment for covariates among the older adults form longevity regions (<italic>p</italic> &gt; 0.05 for non-linearity). The risk for all-cause mortality was significantly higher in the groups with HB concentration of &lt;11.0 g/dL (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.10–1.70) and 11.0–12.0 g/dL (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01–1.54); the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the groups with HB concentration ≥14.0 g/dL (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.60–0.97) compared with the reference group (13.0–13.9 g/dL).</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Among older adults form Chinese longevity regions, HB concentrations were found to be inversely and linearly associated with all-cause mortality. Further prospective intervention trials are needed to confirm whether higher HB concentrations had a lower risk of mortality in these older adults.</p>