title: Plasma zinc alpha2-glycoprotein levels correlate positively with frailty severity in female elders.
abstract: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome associated with adiposity. Zinc alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG), a novel adipokine, is a modulator of body fat mass and positively correlates with age. This observational study aims to investigate the relationship between plasma ZAG levels and frailty in the elderly.We enrolled 189 elder participants from a hospital-based comprehensive geriatric assessment program in Taiwan from January 2007 to June 2008. The demographic data, body weight, body mass index, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), body fat mass percentage, metabolic and inflammatory parameters including plasma tumor-necrosis factor alpha, C-reactive protein and ZAG levels, were assessed. The frailty score was assessed by Fried Frailty Index.The mean age of all participants (91 [48.1%] men and 98 [51.9%] women) was 77.19 ± 6.12 years. Judged by the FFI score, 46 (24.34%) elders were robust, 106 (56.08%) were pre-frail, and 37 (19.58%) were frail. Older men showed greater ASMI and lower fat mass percentage in comparison to older women (P < 0.0001). The log-transformed mean plasma ZAG (μg/mL) level of overall was 1.82 ± 0.11, and it was higher in men than in women (1.85 ± 0.12 vs 1.79 ± 0.1, P = 0.0006). Plasma ZAG levels were different among the robust, pre-frail and frail subgroups (1.78 ± 0.09, 1.83 ± 0.12, 1.83 ± 1.10, respectively, P = 0.028), and the differences were more significant in woman elders (P = 0.005). Further multiple linear regression analysis showed plasma ZAG levels positively correlated with frailty severity in women (P for trend = 0.0435).Plasma ZAG levels positively correlated with frailty severity in woman elders. The difference between sexes suggests certain sex-specific mechanisms may exist to affect the association between plasma ZAG levels and frailty.
authors: Division of Family Medicine, Taipei Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, New Taipei City Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Hospital Department of Medical Research Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei Division of Geriatric Research, Institute of Population Health Science, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County Department of Internal Medicine, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan City Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Kainan University, Luzhu, Taoyuan City Center for Complementary and Integrated Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Ya-Ping
authors: YP
authors: Lee
authors: Chin-Hao
authors: CH
authors: Chang
authors: Heng-Hsiu
authors: HH
authors: Liu
authors: Chin-Ying
authors: CY
authors: Chen
authors: Ching-Yu
authors: CY
authors: Chen
authors: Chih-Cheng
authors: CC
authors: Hsu
authors: Ching-I
authors: CI
authors: Chang
authors: Yen-Ting
authors: YT
authors: Lin
authors: Chung-Sheng
authors: CS
authors: Lee
authors: Jaw-Shiun
authors: JS
authors: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors; D000090203:Zn-Alpha-2-Glycoprotein
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D000090203:Zn-Alpha-2-Glycoprotein