Effect of Ageing and Sex on the
Caeruloplasmin (Cp) and the
Plasma Protein Levels
577-580
Correspondence
Renuka Devi
20/582, 16th Street, 4th Sector,
K.K. Nagar, Chennai -78, India.
Phone: 9884190928
E-mail: renudarshini2004@rediffmail.com
Introduction: Ageing is characterized by a failure to maintain homeostasis under conditions of physiological stress and this failure is associated with a decrease in the viability and an increase in the vulnerability of an individual. Because proteins are of critical importance to all the living organisms, there has been a great deal of interest on how ageing affects the synthesis and the turnover of proteins. Most of the plasma proteins, except immunoglobulins, are synthesized by the liver and they are also catabolized by it. So, the effect of ageing on the plasma proteins could also give a clue about the liver function and integrity in ageing in the 2 sexes
Objective: To study the effect of ageing and sex on the caeruloplasmin and the plasma protein levels.
Method: This study was done on individuals who were aged between 21 years and 90 years, of both sexes, who were selected from the medicine and the geriatric outpatient departments. Their anthropometric assessments were done and a dietary recall was obtained to assess their nutritional status. Their samples were subjected to blood test for the estimation of haemoglobin, ESR, blood sugar, serum creatinine, liver function tests and caeruloplasmin values.
Result: The effect of ageing on the serum levels of caeruloplasmin, albumin, globulin and total protein was assessed and it was found to be negative in both the sexes in all the progressive decades of life. However, a significant gender difference was observed in the serum levels of Cp and albumin. The observed increase in the Cp levels in females was probably due to the greater levels of circulating oestrogen in their bodies. Going by the literature, the lower levels of albumin in females may be inferred to be due to the lower rate of hepatic protein synthesis in the fairer sex.
Conclusion: This study convincingly proved that there was no adverse effect of ageing on either the liver integrity or on its over all functional ability to meet the metabolic demands. This however did not rule out that there was a decrease in the functional reserves of the ageing liver.