Affiliation:
1. Department of Biochemistry, JLN Medical College, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
2. Geriatric Medicine, JLN Medical College, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction:
Aging refers to the inevitable biological process of getting older over time. As humans age, their bodies undergo various physical, physiological, and cognitive changes. As we grow older, practical and morphological adjustments arise, which result in a slow deterioration of the varied abilities of the organism and hence lead to multiple illnesses.
Aims:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of prealbumin as a biomarker of malnutrition in geriatric population.
Subjects and Methods:
This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. We enrolled 140 elderly patients attending the Outpatient Department of Geriatric Medicine, and the data were analyzed with the help of SPSS v27.
Results:
The present study was undertaken in two groups, viz. Group I (underweight) and Group II (normal weight). A statistically significant correlation has been found between serum prealbumin and body mass index (BMI) in underweight subjects (r = 0.84).
Conclusion:
From the present study, in Group 1 with low BMI, low levels of serum prealbumin were seen as compared to Group 2 with normal BMI. A low value of serum prealbumin was found in malnourished subjects.