Age- and sex-dependent values of triglycerides in adults in the region of Vojvodina, Yugoslavia

Abstract

The triglycerides values were epidemiologically studied in 21257 adults (aged 20-80 yrs.) in the region of Vojvodina, Yugoslavia. All investigated persons were divided according to sex (7319 males and 13 938 females) and age (in six decades). The triglycerides concentrations were assayed by the enzymatic method and data were analyzed by the GraphROC for Windows(R) and Statgraphics(R) statistical software. The frequency distributions in all groups were fitted to the log-Gaussian type by mathematical method and reference limits were calculated as 5 and 95 percentiles. Reference limits in all groups were higher than the values recommended by WHO. The obtained mean values in all males, except in subjects older than 70 years, were significantly higher than the values in females. Triglycerides values were age dependent and we found a significant difference among mean values in all age-groups. The lowest mean values were in the youngest subjects: males: (x) over bar = 1.65 +/- 0.98 mmol/L, females: (x) over bar = 1.22 +/- 0.61 mmol/L and the highest in the group of 40-50 yrs for males: (x) over bar = 2.47 +/- 1.53 mmol/L and in the group of 50-60 yrs for females: (x) over bar = 2.0 +/- 1.03 mmol/L. In the youngest age-group there were 60.4% of males and 81.3% of females with triglycerides level of lt 1.7 mmol/L, and 21.3% of males and 7.7% of females with triglycerides level of >2.3 mmol/L. The largest number of subjects with triglycerides of >2.3 mmol/L was found in mates aged 40-50 yrs (45.3%) and in females aged 50-60 yrs (41.4%).