effect of age and sex on serum albumin and fructosamine

ABSTRACT

This study included sixty healthy subjects [thirty males and thirty females] divided according to their age in three groups Group I 20-39 years, group II 40-59 years and group III above the age of 60 years. The serum albumin showed a significant decrease with aging and this may be attributed to many causes occurring with aging as inadequate diet, slight renal impairment and slight hepatic impairment. The serum fructosamine showed insignificant increase with aging. An inverse correlation was found between the level of albumin and the level of fructosamine. The serum albumin level showed a significant increase in the females of the third age group compared with males and serum fructosamine showed a significant decrease in the females of the third age group compared with the males. These changes were statistically significant. No statistically significant changes were noted in the I and II groups between the males and females. Hormonal changes occurring in females at menopause might be attributed to these changes. The albumin showed only 10% correlation to the total level of the fructosamine, it was correlated to 21% of the fructosamine in the male group and to 0.02% in the female group. Serum albumin was not correlated to the fructosamine level in group III, while it was correlated to 14% of the fructosamine level in group II and to 7% of the fructosamine in group I. The study suggested that other factors might be involved with the results of the fructosamine. Test