Luteinizing Hormone in Frail Elderly Individuals

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Departments of Geriatrics,Faculty of Medicine-Ain Shams University

2 Clinical Pathology,Faculty of Medicine-Ain Shams University

Abstract

Background: The term "frailty" has been used clinically as a global concept to describe a condition, common in the old, of impaired strength, endurance, and balance, vulnerability to trauma and other stressors, and high risk for morbidity, disability, and mortality. A variety of factors may contribute to frailty or to one or more of its specific features. These include inflammatory, musculoskeletal, cardio respiratory, metabolic, hematologic, neurologic, immunologic and endocrine factors. Hormones important to the development of frailty that has been proposed include testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Objective: to study the association between LH level and frailty among the elderly Method: A case control study was carried out. The case group included 80 Frail elderly subjects selected according to the American Geriatric Society Criteria; whereas 80 non-Frail elderly subjects were selected as the control group. Each participant was subjected to Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and laboratory assessment of luteinizing hormone. Results: LH level was lower in frail subjects compared to non frail. Lower levels were significantly correlated with increased degree of dependency in both frail males and females. Conclusion: Luteinizing hormone level was lower among frail elderly. Further studies are needed to confirm such an association and to plan clinical practice accordingly.

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