title: Albumin, hemoglobin, body mass index, cognitive and functional performance in elderly persons living in nursing homes.
abstract: The aim of this study is to produce the relation between cognitive and functional performance and some biochemical parameters in elderly population. So, we searched for the correlation between the activities of daily living (ADL), mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and body weight, age, hemoglobin, albumin, serum sodium level of 180 elderly people in five nursing homes. Face-to-face interviews and questionnaires were applied to evaluate ADL. To evaluate the cognitive function we used the MMSE. The average age of 180 people contacted was 71.5+/-5.1 (+/-S.D.), ranging 65-91 years; 112 of them were women (62.2%), 68 were men (37.8%). Of these elderly people, 25% had no medically diagnosed illnesses, whereas 17 of them (9.4%) were bedridden. There was a positive correlation between ADL and hemoglobin, albumin, body weight, cognitive function parameters and a negative one with age and serum sodium. There was a positive correlation between cognitive functions and hemoglobin, body weight, ADL and a negative one with serum sodium. Hemoglobin concentrations indicating anemia were observed in 30% of subjects, 3.9% of them had hyponatremia and 26.7% displayed a hypernatremia. There was a positive correlation between cognitive and physical function scores and hemoglobin, albumin levels in elderly patients. These results suggest that restoration of hemoglobin and albumin levels could improve cognitive and physical functional status in the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, 34668 Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey. yalonem@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onem
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terekeci
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kucukardali
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sahan
authors.forename: Emrullah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solmazgül
authors.forename: Mehmet Güney
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Senol
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nalbant
authors.forename: Ozkan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sayan
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Top
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oktenli
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin