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Aging: laboratory testing and theories
1Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506-0080, USA.
Objective:
To review theories of aging and the changes in laboratory test results that occur because of physical changes in the normal elderly patient.
Data Sources:
Books on aging, laboratory test interpretation, and nutrition as well as published articles on aging, vitamins, and nutrition.
Study Selection:
Elderly people.
Data Extraction:
Survey of the literature.
Data Synthesis:
Aging theories may present possible aspects of the effects of aging on health in the elderly. Normal aging may lead to physical changes that alter laboratory test results without causing disease. Treatment of these "abnormal" results in the elderly may be detrimental to their health.
Conclusion:
As the elderly population increases, laboratorians will encounter an increasing number of elderly patients. Discriminating between truly abnormal test results and those caused by aging will require laboratory reevaluation of adult reference ranges.