Resumen

ALVA-RODRIGUEZ, Delia; CIEZA, Javier  y  MALAGA, Germán. Electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis in the elderly compared to that of young patients in an Emergency Service in a General Hospital in Lima, Peru. A case-control study. Acta méd. Peru [online]. 2017, vol.34, n.2, pp.101-105. ISSN 1728-5917.

Objective: To determine whether there are differences in the electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis in the elderly compared to that in young adult patients in an emergency service in a general hospital in Lima, Peru. Materials and methods: A case-control study including 117 patients was performed. Fifty-seven were elderly subjects, older than 65 years, and 62 were adults less than 65 years old. Subjects were surveyed using incidental sampling between September and October 2014. In all cases and controls serum creatinine and electrolytes were measured at the time of admission. According to the discretion of the treating physician, serum urea, calcium, phosphorus, arterial blood gases (ABG), and serum proteins were measured. Clinical and laboratory variables correlating with electrolyte and arterial blood gases alterations were assessed and results were compared between groups. Results: No differences were found between serum electrolyte and arterial blood gases values. With respect to baseline characteristics, the elderly group had a greater frequently of high blood pressure (odds ratio (OR): 2,43; 95% confidence interval (IC 95%): 1,06-5,57). The only significant difference between the two studied groups was found in the serum total protein values (5.40 ± 0.97 g/L in the elderly vs. 5.92 ± 0.95 g/L in young patients) (p= 0.030). The only variable related to changes in values of serum electrolytes and phosphorus was having serum creatinine =2 mg/dL, (adjusted OR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.21-7.06), regardless of age. Conclusion: Age was not associated with changes in the electrolyte or acid-base homeostasis in patients attending the emergency service of a public hospital in Lima. The only variable affecting the behavior of the electrolyte or acid-base homeostasis, was having a serum creatinine =2 mg/dl

Palabras clave : Aged; Young adult; Electrolytes; Homeostasis.

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