LIPID PROFILE IN THE CHINESE OLD-OLD - COMPARISON WITH YOUNGER AGE-GROUPS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS AND PRESENCE OF DISEASES
J. Woo et al., LIPID PROFILE IN THE CHINESE OLD-OLD - COMPARISON WITH YOUNGER AGE-GROUPS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS AND PRESENCE OF DISEASES, Cardiology, 83(5-6), 1993, pp. 407-414
In a health survey of 2,032 elderly Hong Kong Chinese aged 70 years an
d over selected by stratified random sampling, a subset of 199 subject
s (96 M, 103 F) were selected for a study of their lipid profile. No a
ge and sex differences were observed in mean total cholesterol (TC), h
igh-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein c
holesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride concentrations in this subgroup.
Compared with values from younger Chinese subjects from a previous sur
vey, TC and LDL-C showed an age-related rise up till about 60 years, f
ollowed by a gradual decline. HDL-C concentrations showed little varia
tion with age. Nonagenarians had a LDL/HDL ratio similar to subjects i
n the < 24 age group and lower than male subjects in the age 35-64 age
group. HDL-C was lower in those with heart disease or hypertension. O
ther lipid parameters were not influenced by the presence of other chr
onic diseases, self-perceived health status, or cognitive impairment.
TC was positively associated with the Barthel Index, a measure of func
tional ability. Positive associations between obesity indices and dias
tolic blood pressure, and TC, LDL-C, and triglycerides were present. N
egative associations were found for HDL-C. These findings are suggesti
ve of a trend towards a more favourable lipid profile in extreme old a
ge, which does not appear to be accounted for by the increasing preval
ence of chronic diseases in old age giving rise to low cholesterol con
centrations. The association of lipids with other cardiovascular risk
factors is still demonstrable in this age group.