Table 2.

Elemental concentrations (mg L⁻¹) in blood plasma of young and aged LPS-injected mice and matched controls.

Age	Element	Control mice				LPS-injected mice
		Mean ± SD	Median	IQR	N	Mean ± SD	Median	IQR	N	P-value
Young mice	Ca	73 ± 14	75.5	27.5	12	66 ± 20	61.0	32.0	10	0.381
	K	970 ± 250	923	308	11	930 ± 280	902	421	10	0.654
	Mg	22.7 ± 4.3	21.5	4.75	12	28.1 ± 4.9	28.0	6.75	10	0.014*
	Na	2,730 ± 160	2,730	237	12	2,700 ± 270	2,765	456.3	10	0.872
	P	113 ± 16	116	22.0	11	200 ± 50	207	68.0	9	0.000**
	Sa	263 ± 34	274	47.0	11	287 ± 25	282	24.3	8	0.091
Aged mice	Ca	71 ±11	69.5	14.0	14	62 ± 15	59.0	10.0	7	0.067
	K	900 ± 170	925	163	13	1,190 ± 500	1,062	937	8	0.547
	Mg	21.6 ± 2.2	22.0	3.25	14	33.0 ± 7.0	31.0	14.0	7	0.000**
	Na	2,920 ± 360	2,820	497	14	2,580 ± 380	2,700	596.0	7	0.287
	P	107 ± 25	104	41.5	13	200 ± 62	185	90.0	7	0.000**
	Sa	322 ± 37	314	59.5	13	300 ± 120	321	155	8	0.860

N is the number of individuals and IQR is the interquartile range.

^*Significant difference between controls and LPS-injected mice at p < 0.05 (Mann-Whitney U-test).

^**Significant difference between controls and LPS-injected mice at p < 0.01 (Mann-Whitney U-test).

^aSignificant difference between young and aged mice (p = 0.000, Mann-Whitney U-test).