PLASMA AMINO-ACID-CONCENTRATIONS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION

Objective: to compare amino acid concentrations in healthy and malnour ished elderly patients Method: plasma amino acid concentrations were e xamined in 24 men and women (80-100 years of age) with protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and compared with those of 44 healthy, similarly-ag ed controls. Plasma samples were determined by using cation exchange c olumns with ninhydrin detection in an high performance liquid chromato graphy system. Results: essential amino acid and non-essential amino a cid plasma concentrations were significantly decreased in PEM (0.01 < P < 0.0001). Branched-chain amino acids and urea cycle amino acid plas ma concentrations fell significantly (P < 0.0001). Plasma concentratio ns of alanine and glutamic acid + glutamine were also significantly re duced (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: in underweight elderly patients, the plasma amino acid pattern reflects the severity of the metabolic distu rbance.