SERUM CREATININE LEVELS IN OLDER ADULTS - RELATIONSHIP WITH HEALTH-STATUS AND MEDICATIONS

We aimed to examine the association of serum creatinine with health st atus and current medications in the population of older adults. We emp loyed a cross-sectional study within an ongoing cohort of 3999 residen ts of three communities of the Established Populations for Epidemiolog ic Studies of the Elderly who had venepuncture at the 6-year follow-up when they were aged 71 years and older. Serum creatinine levels, hist ory of diabetes and heart attack, current medications, and blood press ure were measured. Creatinine levels were higher in men than in women, and in blacks than in whites. Higher creatinine levels were observed in persons with a history of diabetes or heart attack, and in those re porting use of cimetidine and diuretic medications. Persons taking fru semide and the potassium-sparing diuretics had higher creatinine level s than those taking thiazides. This study confirms associations of hig her creatinine with male sex, older age, black race, history of diabet es and cimetidine use reported from cross-sectional research in younge r populations and in smaller, more selected groups of older adults. Lo ngitudinal studies will be necessary to strengthen our understanding o f the causes of changes in kidney function in the older population.