Title:Biological Markers in Older People at Risk of Mobility Limitations
Volume: 20
Issue: 19
Author(s): Giuseppe Lippi, Fabian Sanchis-Gomar and Martina Montagnana
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Biomarkers, testosterone, mobility limitations, functional decline.
Abstract: Due to the progressive ageing of the worldwide population, prevention and treatment of late-life dysfunctions, including functional
decline and mobility limitations, represent leading targets of scientists and clinicians, but are also receiving growing attention from
governments and healthcare systems. The early identification of elderly patients more prone to physical decline represents a crucial step
for establishing preventive measures. Although functional capacity can easily be assessed, the use of additional criteria that anticipate the
onset of mobility limitations seems much more advantageous. The most challenging issues in the identification of biological markers for
assessing the risk of functional decline in the elderly originates from the complex and multifaceted pathogenesis of sarcopenia and the resulting
physiological decrement, so that bridging the gap between basic research and clinical practice may appear intricate. Nevertheless,
several lines of evidence now confirm the existence of negative associations between functional mobility and values of hemoglobin, total
and HDL-cholesterol, vitamin D, testosterone, adiponectin and antioxidants such carotenoids, vitamin C and E, selenium and magnesium,
whereas positive associations have been reported with the values of uric acid, white blood cells, plasma and blood viscosity, erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR), triglycerides, homocysteine, plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), markers of renal functions (i.e.,
creatine and cystatin C), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as several inflammatory (e.g., C reactive protein, Intereleukin-6, Interleukin-
1 receptor antagonist), hemostatic (e.g., fibrinogen, Von Willebrand Factor, factors VIII and IX) and oxidative (oxidized lipoproteins,
8-oxo-7,8-2’-deoxyguanosine, protein carbonylation) biomarkers. In the foreseeable future, proteomic studies might predictably
help identify novel associations between putative biomarkers and functional decline.
