Evidence mapPaperPMID 40849644Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2025

Aging and liver health: liver chemistries and associated factors in community-dwelling older adults.

Farah Safdar Husain, Siew Ling Tey, Dieu Thi Thu Huynh, Jeffery Oliver, Geraldine Baggs, Choon How How, Wai Leng Chow, Magdalin Cheong, Tar Choon Aw, Samuel Teong Huang Chew and 1 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03240952 (Establishing Reference Range for Community-dwelling Elderly Nutrition), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03240952 completednot on this map

Establishing Reference Range for Community-dwelling Elderly Nutrition

TypeobservationalSponsorAbbott NutritionRan2017 to 2018Enrolled400ConditionsMalnutrition
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Farah Safdar Husain *SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore, Singapore. farah.safdar.husain@singhealth.com.sg.
Siew Ling Tey *Abbott Nutrition Research and Development, Asia-Pacific Center, Singapore, Singapore.
Dieu Thi Thu HuynhAbbott Nutrition Research and Development, Asia-Pacific Center, Singapore, Singapore.
Jeffery OliverAbbott Nutrition Research and Development, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
Geraldine BaggsAbbott Nutrition Research and Development, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
Choon How HowCare and Health Integration, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Wai Leng ChowHealth Services Research, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Magdalin CheongDepartment of Dietetic & Food Services, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Tar Choon AwLaboratory Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Samuel Teong Huang Chew *Department of Geriatric Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Ngiap Chuan Tan *SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore, Singapore.

Funding

Economic Development Board of Singapore COY-15-IDS-LL/160011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLiver chemistries are used to measure liver function or damage, and it is vital to differentiate between the changes due to aging versus other causes. The literature has also reported a decline in serum alanine transaminase (ALT) in older age independent of other factors. In this study, we seek to (1) evaluate liver chemistries in healthy community-dwelling older adults, and (2) investigate the associations with age, sex, use of statins, and other factors.

methodsThis cross-sectional study included 400 older adults aged ≥ 65 years with normal nutritional status and who took part as a non-randomized reference group in the Strengthening Health In ELDerly through nutrition (SHIELD) study. Blood samples were analyzed for ALT, aspartate transaminase (AST), albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein, and globulin. Analysis of variance and multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate the desired associations.

resultsMean values of all the liver chemistries were within normal laboratory reference ranges for both sex and age categories. Males had higher ALT, albumin, and total bilirubin than females (all P ≤ 0.023), whereas females had higher ALP and globulin than males (both P ≤ 0.015). Participants aged 65 to < 75 years had higher ALT and lower total bilirubin than those aged ≥ 75 years (both P ≤ 0.020). There was a significant relationship between ALP and intensity of statin therapy (P = 0.023), in which high-intensity statin therapy had significantly higher ALP than low-intensity statin therapy (P = 0.045). However, these values were still within the normal range for ALP.

conclusionsLiver chemistries in community-dwelling older adults with normal nutritional status were within the normal reference range used for adults. There were small but statistically significant differences with age, sex, and intensity of statin therapy. ALT declined with age, and further prospective studies are required to determine cut-offs for increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes.

trial registrationNCT03240952.

Indexed as

AgingIndependent LivingLiverAgedAged, 80 and overAging in PlaceAlanine TransaminaseAlkaline PhosphataseAspartate AminotransferasesBilirubinCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLiver Function TestsMaleAlanine TransaminaseAlkaline PhosphataseAspartate AminotransferasesBilirubinCommunity-dwellingLiver chemistriesOlder adultsStatin

Identifiers

PMID40849644
PMCPMC12375274

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.