Homocystiene and C-Reactive Protein in Detection of Frailty

Moatassem S. Amer, Tamer M. Farid, Ekrami E. Abd El-Rahman, Deena M. EL-Maleh, Omar H. Omar, Randa A. Mabrouk

Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Geriatrics and Gerontology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Radiodiagnosis Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/aar.2014.32016                

Abstract

Background and Aim of the Work: Frailty is a state of reduced physiological reserve and is associated with increased susceptibility to disability. It is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this work is to assess the association between the levels of homocystiene and C-reactive protein and frailty and to examine the ability of homocystiene as a new marker to detect frailty. Subjects and Methods: A total number of 104 elderly subjects (above 60 years old) were included in this study and they were subjected to history, examination, comprehensive geriatric assessment, and laboratory investigations including: C-reactive protein (CRP) and Homocystiene (Hcy). The patients were divided into frail and non-frail groups using Fried’s criteria as applied by Avila-Funes et al., 2008 and each group included 52 patients. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups as regards age gender or smoking habits. But there were higher levels of CRP (>10 mg/dl) and homocystiene (>12 mmol/l) among frail cases and by comparing both homocystiene was more sensitive in detection of frailty. Conclusion: Frailty was associated with eleveted homocystiene and CRP and homocystiene is more specific than CRP in detection of frailty.

Keywords

Frailty, CRP, Homocystiene

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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