Does anemia affects cognitive functions in neurologically intact adult patients: Two year cross sectional study at rural tertiary care hospital

BACKGROUND: The anemia not only negatively affects physical function but also the cognition, mood, and quality of life in adult patients due to hypoxic condition as per its severity. This study has been planned to investigate the cross-section association of anemia with cognitive function in neurologically intact patients. METHODS: In this study, a total 200 subjects were enrolled out of which 100 were cases and 100 age and sex matched controls. Mini-mental status examination (MMSE) and short portable mental status questionnaire (SPMSQ) scales were used to assess cognition in all the subjects. RESULTS: This study showed that there was a significant correlation between the anemia and the cognitive skills in the neurologically intact patients. CONCLUSION: The cognitive functions were strongly related to hemoglobin levels as seen by low MMSE score and higher SPMSQ error in those with low hemoglobin levels compared with those with higher hemoglobin levels.