STUDY ON MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS STATUS IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUP OF GERIATRIC CASES

Thamizh Selvam N et al. IRJP 2 (7) 2011 183-185

IRJP 2 (7) July 2011

Page 183-185

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY

ISSN 2230 – 8407

Research Article

STUDY ON MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS STATUS IN DIFFERENT AGE

GROUP OF GERIATRIC CASES

Thamizh Selvam N

, Surya S

., Salini Chandran

, Venugopalan T.N.

, Jaya. N

1

Research Officer-Biochemistry, 2, P.G. Project Student, 3,4 Laboratory Technicians,5Deputy Director in-charge,

National Research Institute for Panchakarma, (CCRAS), Cheruthuruthy, Kerala, India

Article Received on: 10/05/11 Revised on: 23/06/11 Approved for publication: 03/07/11

*Dr. N. Thamizh Selvam., Ph.D.,Research Officer- Biochemistry,National Research Institute for Panachakarma,

Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur (District), Kerala-679 531, India Email: meetmeiamselvan@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT

Geriatric persons are at higher risk of falling in to illness or the tendency to catch illness due to number of reasons such as malnutrition and under nutrition. The present study evaluated the minerals and trace elements levels in geriatric cases of both gender , classified in to different groups based on age that is 50-55 years, 56-60, 61-65, 66-70, and >70 years. The status of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, Iron and Zinc levels were evaluated in all the experimental groups. The study found that hypocalcemia, hyper zincemia and other sub optimal levels of minerals were present in geriatric cases of different age groups and the possible reasons were also discussed. Life style modification and management of minerals and trace elements in geriatric population is to be focused by intensive research.

KEY WORDS: geriatric cases, minerals, trace elements, hypocalcemia

INTRODUCTION

The number of elderly individuals is increasingly progressively in all parts of the world. This is also true of developing countries, including India. There is a remarkable gap of knowledge on the process of ageing

per se, nutritional influences, and particularly

interrelationships with specific disease states such as

multimorbidity of elderly people1. Micronutrients such

as vitamins, minerals and trace elements do play an important role in maintaining the metabolic homeostasis in elderly people as well as in the prevention of many

age-associated diseases2. So, the present study has been

taken to evaluate the trace elements levels in the elderly cases of both genders as observational study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The presents study has been conducted as observational study at the Biochemistry department of National Research Institute for Panchakarma, Cheruthuruthy, Kerala. The case selection is random, and total of 50 cases comprising equal number of male and female were included in five different age category that is 50-55 years, 56-60, 61-65, 66-70, and above 70 years.

Chemicals and Reagents: Chemicals and Reagents were procured from Erba, Transasia, Mumbai. The semi auto RA50 Chemistry Analyzer, Bayer, India was used for the assessment.

Methodology

The Calcium by Cresolphthalein compelxone method3,

Magnesium by Calmagite-EGTA colorimetric method4,

Potassium by trubidometric method5, Copper by

Ascorbic acid reducing method6, Iron by Chromazurol B

photometric method7, Zinc by direct colorimetic method

without deproteinization8 were followed for the present

study.

RESULTS

In the present study, the analysis of the selective minerals and trace elements in geriatric cases showed that there are deficiencies and as wells as elevated levels in different age category as shown in Table 1-2 and Figure 1-4.

DISCUSSION

The present study exhibited that the serum calcium levels found to be low in different set of age groups among

male and female. The pathophysiology of

hypocalcaemia suggests there may be various reasons for chronic hypocalcaemia including hereditary, chronic

renal failure, acquired hypothyroidism and

hypomagnesaemia9,10. The study showed that

Thamizh Selvam N et al. IRJP 2 (7) 2011 183-185

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Page 183-185

iron levels were found to be in the borderline normal range. Especially, it is observed that in overall male and female cases, the concentration of iron is found to be in the marginal or sub optimal level of reference range 59

to 148 µg/dl. Serum Zinc, which is bound to albumin

and other proteins, is the source of metal for cellular needs. It is understood, that the zinc levels found to be optimal among female cases and abnormal in male groups. Even though, the reasons are not clear for the elevated level of zinc in male group, there was no any toxicity symptoms observed in the cases. But it is suspected for the occupational exposure, and exposure to smoke and fumes.

CONCLUSION

The present study on trace elements levels in geriatric cases found that hypocalcaemia in all the study groups of male and female and the hyper zincemia in the male group. The other elements potassium, magnesium, iron and copper levels were found within the suboptimal normal range. The further study has to be carried out to assess the involvement of food habits, life style and other specific clinical complications that are all associated with the maintenance of trace elements levels in the geriatric cases.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Authors are thankful to the Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, New

Delhi for his encouragement and to the Staff members of NRIP for their extended cooperation and support.

REFERENCES

1. Jain AL. Influence of vitamins and trace-elements on the incidence of respiratory infection in the elderly. Nutritional Research, 2002; 22(4):85-87.

2. Sandstead HH, Klevay ML. History of Nutrition Symposium: Trace element Nutrition and Human Health. J Nutr. 2000; 130(1): 483-484.

3. Moorhead WR, Briggs HC. Micronutrients in Geriatric cases. Clinical Chem.,1974; 20 (2):145-148.

4. Young DS. Effects of disease on Clinical Lab. Tests. 4th Ed. American Association of Clinical Chemistry; Washington DC; 2001.

5. Tietz NW. Electrolyte analysis in Clinical samples. In: Fundamentals of Clin Chem. Elsevier Publications;1976. 6. Burtiz A. Tietz NW. Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, 3rd Ed.

American Association of Clinical Chemistry; Washington DC; 1999.

7. Callahan JH, Cook KO. Modified CMB Method of Iron estimation in serum. Anal Chem. 1982; 54 (1): 59-62.

8. Young DS. Effects of diseases on Clinical Lab. Tests. 4th Edition. American Association of Clinical Chemistry; Washington DC; 2001.

9. Chester JK, Zinc O, Dell BL. Sunder RA. Eds. Handbook of Nutritionally Essential Mineral elements. CRC Publication, NY.1997; 185-230.

10.Dey AB, Soneja S, Nagarkar KM, Jhingan HP. Evaluation of the health and functional status of older Indians as a prelude to the development of a health programme. Natl Med J India 2001; 14 (2):135-8.

Table 1. Serum Iron level in different age groups.

S.No. Sex Age Group (Years) Serum Iron (µg%)

(Mean ± SEM)

1 Male

50-55 88.5 ±13.49

56-60 74.33 ± 14.14

61-65 65.57 ± 7.85

66-70 92.43 ± 12.31

>70 88.67 ± 34.98

2 Female

50-55 66.6 ± 6.91

56-60 63.88 ± 5.34

61-65 82.75 ± 16.82

66-70 59.0 ± 5.51

>70 77.4 ± 15.45

Values are Mean ± SEM , N=50

Table 2. Serum Iron level in different age groups

S.No. Sex Age Group (Years) Serum Zinc (µg%)

(Mean ± SEM)

1 Male

50-55 117.0 ± 35.0

56-60 111.0 ± 10.74 61-65 123.57 ± 6.92 66-70 119.29 ± 10.14

>70 135.67 ± 10.10

2 Female

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Figure. 1. Serum Calcium levels in different age groups.

Figure 2. Serum Magnesium pattern in different age groups

Figure 3. Serum Potassium pattern in study groups

Figure 4. Serum Copper level in different age groups of male and female