Liver function of the most elderly patients

• Published in: Rinsho byori. The Japanese journal of clinical pathology Vol. 48; no. 3; p. 227
• Main Authors: Inafuku, T, Nozaki, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan 01.03.2000
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adult; Aged - physiology; Aged, 80 and over; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Alkaline Phosphatase - blood; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Female; Humans; Liver - physiology; Male; Reference Values; Serum Albumin - analysis
• ISSN: 0047-1860

To determine the decision level of liver function in the most elderly patients, we compared serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) values of the most elderly patients > 85 years with those of healthy young adults. Two hundred fifty five elderly people, aged 88-106 years and average 96.6 years(171 women, 84 men), were included in this study. Elderly people were divided into four groups according to their activities of daily living(ADL), 114 Rank-J: free living, 62 Rank-A: unable to go outside without help, 39 Rank-B: bedridden but able to sit up in bed and 40 Rank-C: completely bedridden. Serum albumin values for the most elderly patients in Rank-J were 4.2 +/- 0.3 g/dl for women and 4.0 +/- 0.3 g/dl for men, showing marked decrease from those of young healthy adults aged 19-59 years(p < 0.0001). In 22.2% of elderly women and 44.2% of elderly men, albumin values deviated from the reference interval of young adults. ALT value for the most elderly patients also showed a decrease in both sexes and AST and ALP values for the most elderly patients showed an increase in women compared with young adults. However, these were minor deviations from the reference interval for young adults. In ADL-stratified groups of the most elderly patients, serum albumin values showed marked decrease with decline in ADL, whereas AST, ALT and ALP values remained constant in both sexes regardless of ADL.