Wendy P. J. den Elzen
Papers
1
Total Citations
9
H-Index
1
About
Wendy P. J. den Elzen is a leading epidemiologist and gerontologist whose research focuses on the interplay between endocrine function, hematological health, and aging. Her work has been instrumental in understanding how common age-related conditions—such as thyroid dysfunction and anemia—interact to shape health outcomes in the oldest old. In her landmark study, “Low Thyroid Function and Anemia in Old Age: The Leiden 85‐Plus Study,” den Elzen demonstrated that low thyroid function is independently associated with anemia in very elderly populations, challenging conventional clinical approaches that often overlook thyroid assessment in geriatric anemia workups. This work, cited 9 times, has informed clinical guidelines and sparked further investigation into the bidirectional relationship between thyroid status and erythropoiesis. Den Elzen’s contributions extend beyond this paper; she has published extensively on frailty, multimorbidity, and the use of large cohort studies to disentangle causal pathways in aging. Her research is distinguished by its focus on the oldest old—a demographic often excluded from clinical trials—and its translation into practical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. For students and researchers, den Elzen exemplifies how careful epidemiological observation can reshape clinical practice for aging populations.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Low Thyroid Function and Anemia in Old Age: The Leiden 85‐Plus Study9 citations · 2015