Plasma Homocysteine in 80-year-olds: Relationships to Medical, Psychological and Social Variables

Plasma homocysteine concentrations in a group of 80-year-old persons were related to symptoms and signs. Plasma homocysteine concentrations higher than 15 micromol/l were associated with lower total life satisfaction (P<0.01), mood (P<0.05), zest for life (P<0.05), lower scores for reasoning (P<0.05), spatial ability (P<0.05), memory recognition (P<0.05), and subjective health (P<0.01). In an instrument comprising of 30 symptoms, plasma homocysteine concentrations higher than 15 micromol/l were associated with impaired concentration (P<0.05), restlessness (P<0.05), feeling cold (P<0.05), loss of weight (P<0.05), and feeling depressed (P<0.01). The above data indicate that plasma homocysteine values over 15 micromol/l could be relevant markers for clinical intervention.