title: Effect of Age on Liver Function in Patients Undergoing Partial Hepatectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postresectional liver failure is the most frequent cause of fatal outcome following liver surgery. Diminished preoperative liver function in the elderly might contribute to this. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate preoperative liver function in patients <60 or >70 years of age scheduled for liver resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consecutive patients aged <60 or >70 years who are about to undergo elective liver surgery between 2011 and 2013 and underwent the methacetin breath liver function test (LiMAx) preoperatively were included. Histologic assessment of the resected liver gave insight into background liver disease. Correlation between age and liver function was calculated with Pearson's test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine patients were included, 31 were aged <60 and 28 were aged >70 years. General patient characteristics and liver function LiMAx values (340 (137-594) vs. 349 (191-530) μg/kg/h, p = 0.699) were not significantly different between patients aged <60 and >70 years. Moreover, no correlation between age and preoperative liver function LiMAx values was found (R = 0.04, p = 0.810).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liver function did not seem to differ between younger and older patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lodewick
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Alizai
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: van Dam
authors.forename: A A J
authors.initials: AAJ
authors.lastname: Roeth
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmeding
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heidenhain
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gassler
authors.forename: C H C
authors.initials: CHC
authors.lastname: Dejong
authors.forename: U P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001944:Breath Tests; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000209:etiology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Age; Elderly; LiMAx; Liver function; Postresectional liver failure