1977 Volume 14 Issue 4 Pages 260-267
Serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels were measured in 1963 subjects over 65 years old (724 males, 1239 females), living in the Tokyo Metropolitan Homes for the Aged.
Sex and age distribution of these lipids were observed and the relationship between these lipids and other clinical findings was also investigated. Other examinations consisted of nocturnal frequency of micturition, degree of arcus senilis, blood pressure, skinfold and electrocardiography.
The results obtained are as follows:
1) When these lipids were observed in the whole population, cholesterol showed a normal distribution curve, while triglycerides showed a deviated curve to the right. This deviation was slightly normalized when the value of triglycerides was converted to a common logarhithm.
2) The mean value of cholesterol decreased with aging in females, while no remarkable change was found in males. The same tendence as cholesterol was obtained in triglycerides.
3) The mean values of these lipids were significantly higher in females than in males for all age groups.
4) These lipids correlated significantly with skinfold with skinfold in both sexes (P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between triglycerides and arcus senilis only in males (P<0.05), and a positive correlation was found between diastolic pressure and lipids in females.
5) Partial correlation coefficients between serum lipids and six other variables i.e. skinfold, arcus senilis, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, age, and nocturnal frequency of micturition were evaluated, Skinfold showed r=0.21-0.30 with lipids in both sexes (P< 0.001), arcus senilis r=0.13 with triglycerides in males (P<0.01), and nocturnal frequency of micturition r=-0.09 with triglycerides in males (P<0.05). No significant correlation was found between lipids and variable other than skinfold, arcus senilis and nocturnal frequency of micturition.
6) Prevalence of abnormal Q wave and T abnormalities in ECG did not change with the lipid level. Atrial fibrillation was more common in subjects with a lower level of lipid than in those with a higher level. left sided high voltage showed a similar tendency, though this was not statistically significant.
