Amino acid levels in elderly nursing home residents.
We have compared levels of albumin and serum amino acids in a group of 87 recent admissions to a nursing home, average age 83 years, with a group of healthy moderately old subjects, average age 69 years. We found that the nursing home group was characterized by decreased levels of albumin, by increased total levels of the measured amino acids, and by increased levels of the nonessential amino acids. In contrast, there were no significant group differences in the essential amino acids. Among the nursing home patients, there was a negative correlation between essential amino acids and disability, consistent with nutritional deficits in the more disabled patients, and a positive correlation between essential amino acids and subjective complaints of pain, suggesting that pain is associated with breakdown or mobilization of endogenous protein stores. Though the nursing home patients had decreased serum levels of tryptophan, there was no association between serum tryptophan or other variables that could be related to the availability of tryptophan for transport into brain, with ratings of either depression or pain. Glutamine levels were significantly increased in the nursing home residents, and among these patients they were positively correlated with measures of cognitive impairment.
Katz
I R
IR
Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129.
Friedman
E
E
Parmelee
P
P
Posner
J
J
Muhly
C
C
Bridger
W H
WH
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000097:blood; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000097:blood
D000596:Amino Acids; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014364:Tryptophan