Serum albumin levels as an independent predictor of 4-year mortality in a community-dwelling 80-year-old population.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

Although serum albumin levels are associated with mortality in non-institutionalized elderly people under 80 years old, as well as in the institutionalized very elderly, little is known about the relationship in community-dwelling very elderly people. We, therefore, examined the association in a Japanese population of 80-year-old community residents.

METHODS:

Serum albumin levels were measured in 672 (267 men, 405 women) out of 1282 80-year-old individuals. Over the following 4 years, the dates and causes of death were recorded from resident registration cards and official death certificates.

RESULTS:

Of the above individuals, 107 subjects died (58 men, 49 women: 27 due to cancer, 27 cardiovascular disease, and 22 pneumonia). Survival rates were compared among 4 groups (highest >or=45 g/L, higher than 43-44 g/L, lower than 41-42 g/L, lowest <or=40 g/L). After adjustment for confounding factors, total death or cardiovascular death in the lowest albumin group was 3.1 times and 10.7 times more incident than in the highest albumin group, but there were no differences among groups as regards deaths due to cancer or pneumonia.

CONCLUSION:

Serum albumin levels are an independent predictor of mortality due to all-cause or cardiovascular disease, but not of mortality due to cancer or pneumonia in very elderly Japanese community residents.

• Authors: Yutaka Takata, Toshihiro Ansai, Inho Soh, Shuji Awano, Kazuo Sonoki, Sumio Akifusa, Shuntaro Kagiyama, Tomoko Hamasaki, Takehiro Torisu, Akihiro Yoshida, Ikuo Nakamichi, Tadamichi Takehara
• Journal: Aging clinical and experimental research (Aging Clin Exp Res) Vol. 22 Issue 1 Pg. 31-5 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 1594-0667 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 20305365 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Serum Albumin

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Cardiovascular Diseases (mortality)
• Cause of Death (trends)
• Female
• Humans
• Japan
• Male
• Mortality (trends)
• Neoplasms (mortality)
• Pneumonia (mortality)
• Proportional Hazards Models
• Serum Albumin (metabolism)
• Smoking (epidemiology, mortality)
• Survival Rate