Clinical laboratory measures in relation to depression, disability, and cognitive impairment in elderly patients

To characterize the dimensions of physiological abnormalities that commonly occur in older individuals in a residential care setting and to evaluate t heir association with clinical measures, the authors conducted an explorato ry factor analysis on clinical laboratory measures from a sample of 231 eld erly residents (mean age: 86) living in a nursing home and congregate apart ment facility An eight-factor solution accounted for 70.2% of the variance in these measures; factors identified were interpreted as indices of renal function, protein/calorie/nutritional status, serum electrolytes/osmolarity , liver function, acute-phase processes, plasma lipids, acid/base status, a nd renal-tubular function. The nutritional factor was significantly associa ted with measures of disability and the presence of depression. The acute-p hase processes factor was significantly associated with cognitive impairmen t.