[The changes in physico-chemical parameters obtained from apparently healthy aged people followed over ten years]

The author assessed the physiological aging parameters of 38 apparently healthy subjects who were over 80 years old 1989, who were not on medication, and who had consulted with the Keio Health Counseling Center over 10 years. All subjects had no history of overt vascular disease and/or malignancy in 1989. In 17 of 38 subjects, physical, hematological and blood chemical parameters when they were in their 70s were analyzed. Many parameters were unchanged and remained within normal limits for ordinary adults. Cataract, atherosclerotic change of optic fundi and diagonal ear lobe creases were seen in all subjects during the study period. Concerning standard deviations, those of forced expiratory volume in one second/predicted vital capacity and pure tone average (acoustic ability) decreased with age, unlike those of other parameters. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis, revealed that serum albumin decreased but pure tone average, Scheie's atherosclerotic score, senile cataract, HDL-cholesterol blood urea nitrogen and forced expiratory volume in one second/predicted vital capacity increased with age. This study was not cohort study with selected subjects but shows very slight change of almost any parameter irrespective of age and abnormality can suggest the existence of disease.