Blood reticulocyte count and plasma lactate dehydrogenase activity are positively related to the free fatty acid/albumin ratio in geriatric patients

Hsstmark AT, Stensrsd B, Jebens E, Lystad E, Kierulf P, Laake K. Blood reticulocyte count and plasma lactate dehydrogenase activity are positively related to the free fatty acid/albumin ratio in geriatric patients. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1995; 55: 649-53. The objective of this study was to investigate the in vivo relationship between plasma free fatty acid (FFA)/albumin molar ratio and indicators of cellular damage. A case series study was carried out in 20 geriatric patients in a stable clinical condition. Their plasma albumin concentration was in the range 26-42 g 1-' . There was a significant positive correlation between the FFA/albumin ratio and (a) reticulocyte count (r = 0.61, p =0.006), (b) lactate dehydrogenase activity (r=0.69, p=0.002), and (c) haptoglobin concentration (r=0.46, p=0.05). The haemoglobin concentration was inversely related to relative reticulocyte count (r = -0.55, p = 0.01). Absolute and relative reticulocyte counts were positively associated (r=0.92, p <0.0001). The results are in accordance with the contention that a high FFA/albumin ratio in vivo may elicit cellular damage. Further studies are required to elucidate to what extent a high FFA/albumin ratio might be causally related to diseases.