Aminotransferases in elderly people: influence of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate addition on the determination of serum aminotransferases in healthy elderly subjects.

Aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) activity was measured in a group of 81 healthy subjects over 70 years of age and another of 180 younger persons, in order to investigate histograms and means of aminotransferase values in both groups and the variation in stimulation of these enzyme activities by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (P5P) added in vitro. It was found that ASAT and ALAT mean values were significantly higher in both groups in the presence of P5P, than in the absence of P5P. ASAT and ALAT mean values obtained with and without P5P in old people were similar to those found in young subjects. In addition, mean stimulation percentages by P5P were identical in both groups.

[Usual values of serum vitamin A using a modified fluorimetric method]. / Valeurs usuelles de la vitamine A sérique par une méthode fluorimétrique modifiée.

We report a fluorimetric technique for the determination of serum vitamin A. The critical study of this micromethod included trials of repeatability, inter-series reproducibility and an evaluation of its accuracy. It was compared with a method using high performance liquid chromatography followed by detection with UV spectrophotometry. Normal values were established for adults. The variations according to age were determined for children between the ages of 10 months and 15 years.