Plasma homocysteine in 80-year-olds: relationships to medical, psychological and social variables.
Plasma homocysteine concentrations in a group of 80-year-old persons were related to symptoms and signs. Plasma homocysteine concentrations higher than 15 micromol/l were associated with lower total life satisfaction (P<0.01), mood (P<0.05), zest for life (P<0.05), lower scores for reasoning (P<0.05), spatial ability (P<0.05), memory recognition (P<0.05), and subjective health (P<0.01). In an instrument comprising of 30 symptoms, plasma homocysteine concentrations higher than 15 micromol/l were associated with impaired concentration (P<0.05), restlessness (P<0.05), feeling cold (P<0.05), loss of weight (P<0.05), and feeling depressed (P<0.01). The above data indicate that plasma homocysteine values over 15 micromol/l could be relevant markers for clinical intervention.
Jensen
E
E
Geriatric Section, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Lund, S-221 85 Lund, Sweden.
Dehlin
O
O
Erfurth
E M
EM
Hagberg
B
B
Samuelsson
G
G
Svensson
T
T
Hultberg
B
B