[Use of discriminating function in the study of lipid metabolism in normal subjects of various ages].

Analysis of the discriminating function was applied to 15 plasma lipid parameters: palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids, total NEFA, total lipids, triglycerides, phospholipids, total cholesterol, alpha and beta lipoproteic cholesterol, and lipoproteic alpha: beta, cholesterol: triglycerides and cholesterol: phospholipids ratios, in 84 healthy, normosomic subjects, divided into young, presenile and aged. Highly significant discrimination was obtained between all three groups. The coefficients of discrimination of all the variables employed in individual comparisons are illustrated. A brief account is given of the importance of biohumoral data in the detection of aging, and of the theoretical and practical utility of an investigation of this kind.