Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41872400›Full record

ArticleGeroScience2026

Three-dimensional trace element profile reflecting aging, disease, and frailty.

Catrin Herpich, Tom Heinze, Varvara Moskiou, Magdalena Kalymon, Lea Göger, Lea Faust, Kristina Lossow, Ursula Müller-Werdan, Tanja Schwerdtle, Lutz Schomburg and 2 more

Abstract read
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Article in GeroScience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Catrin HerpichDepartment of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany. catrin.herpich@charite.de.
Tom HeinzeTraceAge - DFG Research Unit On Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany.
Varvara MoskiouDepartment of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany.
Magdalena KalymonDepartment of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany.
Lea GögerDepartment of Nutrition and Gerontology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany.
Lea FaustDepartment of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany.
Kristina LossowTraceAge - DFG Research Unit On Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany.
Ursula Müller-WerdanDepartment of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany.
Tanja SchwerdtleTraceAge - DFG Research Unit On Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany.
Lutz SchomburgInstitute of Experimental Endocrinology, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Anna P KippTraceAge - DFG Research Unit On Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany.
Kristina NormanDepartment of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany.

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft FOR-2558 "TraceAge"
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Older age combined with chronic disease increases the risk of malnutrition and frailty, impacting disease recovery and overall clinical outcomes. Serum concentrations of several trace elements and their respective biomarkers have not yet been investigated with regard to frailty in older adults with disease, although these patients most likely have an altered trace element profile owing to both inflammatory conditions and inadequate dietary intake. This cross-sectional study investigated trace element profiles in relation to age, disease, and frailty status in geriatric patients (n = 198) as well as in old (n = 80) and young (n = 60) healthy controls. Serum concentrations of iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, copper, and manganese were quantified via ICP-MS/MS, alongside inflammatory markers and functional biomarkers. Analysis revealed distinct trace element profiles in patients compared to healthy controls, with lower manganese, iron, zinc, and selenium, but higher copper and iodine (p ≤ 0.001). Trace element concentrations were similar in young and older healthy controls. Principal component (PC) analysis identified two profiles. PC1 was negatively associated with age, number of drugs, sex, and inflammation. Only PC2 was associated with anorexia (β = 0.053 ± 0.020; 95% CI 0.015, 0.092; p = 0.007). Furthermore, intake of drugs that affect intestinal trace element absorption was associated with PC2. Our analyses suggest that PC1 might reflect disease/inflammation, and PC2 inadequate trace element supply. These cross-sectional findings suggest that inflammation and inadequate trace element intake, rather than age, significantly influence trace element profiles and contribute to frailty. Trail registration number: DRKS00017090, registered 12.04.2019; DRKS00028105, registered 03.03.2022.

Indexed as

AgingAnorexia of agingFrailtyInflammationTrace elements

Identifiers

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.