Age-related changes in the glucose level, its metabolites, and aminotransferases activity in women and men of mature and elderly age

Abstract

Introduction: Adaptation to living conditions in the North in humans is determined by its energy status, in particular glucose homeostasis, and the activity of a number of enzymes - aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).
 Aim: To conduct a comparative analysis of the levels of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, activity of AST, ALT, their ratio of different age groups in men and women - residents of the subarctic region of the Arkhangelsk Region.
 Methods. The article is an observational cross-sectional uncontrolled study, where differences in the content of carbohydrate metabolism parameters and transferase activity between groups of women and men of different age periods are considered. 437 women and 194 men aged 21-74 years, born and permanently residing in the Arkhangelsk region, were examined. In the blood serum, the glucose content was determined by the enzymatic method, the lactate level was measured by the Trinder reaction, the pyruvate level - by the Umbright method, the activity of AST and ALT - by the unified kinetic method, and the values of the AST/ALT ratio (De Ritis ratio) were calculated. The study participants were divided into 4 age groups: women 21-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-74 years, men 22-35, 36-45, 46-60 and 61-74 years.
 Results: Non-parametric comparison showed an age-related increase in blood glucose in women aged 46-55 years with an increase in the activity of AST, ALT, in men aged 61-74 years with a decrease in ALT, which indicates different mechanisms for its increase; an increase in the number of people with a critical glucose level (prediabetes - 5.6-6.1 mmol / l and above normal) in older age groups can serve as confirmation of the onset of hyperglycemia and be the cause and / or consequence of the insulin resistance. An individual analysis of the De Ritis ratio revealed individuals with different metabolic flows in glucose homeostasis in all gender and age groups. With age in 57.5; 66.7; 59.5 and 52.4% of women and in 72.6; 63.2; 74.1 and 28.6% of men there was predominated anabolic processes, which, with an increase in glucose, increases the risk of insulin resistance.
 Conclusions: The shown features of the state of carbohydrate metabolism and aminotransferases in men and women, taking into account age, can contribute to diagnostic and preventive measures to preserve health among the population of the Arctic.