Biomedical subjects

Fulvio Lauretani

Publications and source records attributed to Fulvio Lauretani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Association of hormonal dysregulation with metabolic syndrome in older women: data from the InCHIANTI study.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Conditions associated with hyperandrogenism are often associated with glucose intolerance and other features of MetS in young women. As the prevalence of MetS increases with age and is probably multifactorial, it is reasonable to hypothesize that age-related changes in androgens and other hormones might contribute to the development of MetS in older persons. However, this hypothesis has never been tested in older women. We hypothesized that high levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and cortisol and low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and IGF-I would be associated with MetS in a representative cohort of older Italian women independently of confounders (including inflammatory markers). After exclusion of participants on hormone replacement therapy and those with a history of bilateral oophorectomy, 512 women (>/=65 yr) had complete data on testosterone, cortisol, DHEA-S, SHBG, fasting insulin, total and free IGF-I, IL-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP). MetS was defined according to ATP-III criteria. Insulin resistance was calculated according to HOMA. MetS was found in 145 women (28.3%). Participants with vs. those without MetS had higher age-adjusted levels of bioavailable testosterone (P < 0.001), IL-6 (P < 0.001), CRP (P < 0.001), and HOMA (P < 0.001) and lower levels of SHBG (P < 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, participants with decreased SHBG had an increased risk of MetS (P < 0.0001) vs. those with low SHBG. In a further model including all hormones and confounders, log SHBG was the only independent factor associated with MetS (OR: 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.91, P = 0.027). In older women, SHBG is negatively associated with MetS independently of confounders, including inflammatory markers and insulin resistance. Further studies are needed to support the notion that raising SHBG is a potential therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of MetS.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Midlife physical activity and mobility in older age: The InCHIANTI study.

BACKGROUND: Among older adults, loss of mobility represents a critical stage in the disablement process, whereby the risk for disability is significantly increased. Physical activity is a modifiable risk factor that is associated with reduced risk of losing mobility in older adulthood; however, few studies have examined physical activity performed earlier in life in relation to mobility later in life. METHODS: Data from a population-based study of 1155 adults aged 65 years and older living in the Chianti region of Italy in 1998-2000 were analyzed in 2005 and 2006. Participants retrospectively recalled their physical activity levels in midlife and underwent mobility testing and medical examination. Two objective mobility outcomes were examined as a function of past physical activity: the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the ability to walk 400 meters. RESULTS: Older Italian adults (mean age 74.8, standard deviation 7.3) who engaged in higher levels of physical activity in midlife were significantly more likely to perform better on the SPPB than individuals who were less physically active in midlife. In addition, failure to complete the 400-meter walk test was significantly less likely among physically active men (Level II) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.15-0.93) and very active men (Level III) (OR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.09-0.63) when compared to men who were less active (Level I) in the past (p for trend, 0.008). These associations remained after adjustment for demographic factors, medical conditions, and physiologic impairments. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults who reported higher levels of physical activity in midlife had better mobility in old age than less physically active ones.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Low testosterone levels and the risk of anemia in older men and women.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is a frequent feature of male hypogonadism and anti-androgenic treatment. We hypothesized that the presence of low testosterone levels in older persons is a risk factor for anemia. METHODS: Testosterone and hemoglobin levels were measured in a representative sample of 905 persons 65 years or older without cancer, renal insufficiency, or anti-androgenic treatments. Hemoglobin levels were reassessed after 3 years. RESULTS: At baseline, 31 men and 57 women had anemia. Adjusting for confounders, we found that total and bioavailable testosterone levels were associated with hemoglobin levels in women (P = .001 and P = .02, respectively) and in men (P<.001 and P = .03, respectively). Men and women in the lowest quartile of total and bioavailable testosterone were more likely than those in the highest to have anemia (men, 14/99 vs 3/100; odds ratio [OR], 5.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-21.8 for total and 16/99 vs 1/99; OR, 13.1; 95% CI, 1.5-116.9 for bioavailable testosterone; women, 21/129 vs 12/127; OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 0.9-5.0 for total and 24/127 vs 6/127; OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-9.4 for bioavailable testosterone). Among nonanemic participants and independent of confounders, men and women with low vs normal total and bioavailable testosterone levels had a significantly higher risk of developing anemia at 3-year follow-up (21/167 vs 28/444; relative risk, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-4.1 for total and 26/143 vs 23/468; relative risk, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.9-7.8 for bioavailable testosterone). CONCLUSION: Older men and women with low testosterone levels have a higher risk of anemia.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

High interleukin-6 plasma levels are associated with low HDL-C levels in community-dwelling older adults: the InChianti study.

BACKGROUND: Low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with increased incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). A better understanding of the mechanisms leading to low HDL-C and CHD is essential for planning treatment strategies. Clinical studies have demonstrated that cytokines might affect both concentration and composition of plasma lipoproteins, including HDLs. METHODS: We investigated the possible association between low HDL-C levels, defined as < or =10th gender specific percentile, and circulating markers of inflammation (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, and CRP) in a population of 1044 community dwelling older Italian subjects from the InChianti study. RESULTS: Using logistic regression analysis we demonstrated that IL-6 levels (III versus I tertile, OR: 2.10; 1.10-3.75), TG (III versus I tertile OR: 27.45; 8.47-88.93), fasting insulin (III versus I tertile OR: 2.84; 1.50-5.42), and age (OR: 1.038; 1.002-1.075) were associated with low HDL-C independent of smoking, BMI, waist circumference, hypertension, diabetes, physical activity, alcohol intake, oral hypoglycaemics, CRP, IL-18, and TNF-alpha levels. The adjusted attributable risk of low HDL-C in the exposed group (III tertile of IL-6) was 54%. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides the epidemiological evidence that besides triglycerides, fasting insulin, and age, IL-6 is one of the main correlates of low HDL-C levels in older individuals.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Predictors of vitamin B6 and folate concentrations in older persons: the InCHIANTI study.

BACKGROUND: Low dietary intake and low serum concentrations of vitamin B6 and/or folate are associated with increased risk of vascular events, possibly because of their association with inflammation, which plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: Using data from 1320 participants in the population-based InCHIANTI study (586 men and 734 women; median age, 69 years; range, 21-102 years) for whom complete data on folate, vitamin B6, inflammatory markers, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T sequence variant, and important covariates were available, we evaluated the association of inflammatory markers with circulating concentrations of vitamin B6 and folate, independently of dietary vitamin intake, circulating vitamin concentrations, and MTHFR C677T sequence variant. RESULTS: According to multiple linear regression analysis, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 receptor were strongly and negatively associated with circulating vitamin B6 but not with folate concentrations, independent of age, sex, serum creatinine, serum albumin, total energy intake, smoking history, dietary nutrient intake, and circulating homocysteine and vitamin concentrations. Serum folate concentrations were related to MTHFR 677 TT genotype in persons with folate intake in the lowest tertile (< 221.2 microg/day). Vitamin C and retinol intakes were strongly and positively associated with serum folate concentrations independent of age, sex, serum creatinine, serum albumin, total energy intake, smoking history, homocysteine plasma concentrations, dietary nutrient intakes, serum vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 concentrations, and MTHFR C677T sequence variant. CONCLUSIONS: Low serum vitamin B6, but not serum folate, concentrations are independent correlates of the proinflammatory state, and both are influenced by antioxidant reserves.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Epidemiology of back pain in a representative cohort of Italian persons 65 years of age and older: the InCHIANTI study.

STUDY DESIGN: Clinico-epidemiologic study in the Chianti area (Tuscany, Italy). OBJECTIVES: To describe prevalence and correlates of back pain in a representative sample of the population. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Back pain is common in old age and is related to functional limitations, but back pain characteristics and correlates in older adults, which may be targeted by specific interventions, are still underinvestigated. METHODS: A total of 1,299 persons aged 65 or older were selected from the city registry of Greve in Chianti and Bagno a Ripoli; 1,008 (565 women; 443 men) were included in this analysis. Back pain in the past 12 months was ascertained using a questionnaire. Potential correlates of back pain were identified in age- and sex-adjusted regression analyses, and their independent association with back pain was tested in a multivariate model. RESULTS: The prevalence of frequent back pain was 31.5%. Back pain was reported less often by men and the very old, was primarily located in the dorsolumbar and lumbar spine, was moderate in intensity and mainly elicited by carrying, lifting, and pushing heavy objects. Among participants who reported frequent back pain, 76.3% had no back pain-related impairments; 7.4% of the overall study population had back pain-related functional limitation. Back pain participants were significantly more likely to report difficulty in heavy household chores, carrying a shopping bag, cutting toenails, and using public transportation. Limited trunk extension, depression, low levels of prior-year physical activity, and hip, knee, and foot pain were independent correlates of back pain. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent back pain is highly prevalent in the older population and is often associated with conditions that are potentially reversible.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2006

Uric acid and inflammatory markers.

AIMS: The role of uric acid (UA) in the process of atherosclerosis and atherotrombosis is controversial. Epidemiological studies have recently shown that UA may be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and a negative prognostic marker for mortality in subjects with pre-existing heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluate a relationship between UA levels and several inflammatory markers in 957 subjects, free of severe renal failure, from a representative Italian cohort of persons aged 65-95. Plasma levels of UA and white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil count, C-reactive protein, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6r), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured. Complete information on potential confounders was collected using standard methods. WBC (P=0.0001), neutrophils (P<0.0001), C-reactive protein (P<0.0001), IL-1ra (P<0.0001), IL-6 (P=0.0004), sIL-6r (P=0.002), IL-18 (P<0.0001), TNF-alpha (P=0.0008), and the percentage of subjects with abnormally high levels of C-reactive protein (P=0.004) and IL-6 (P=<0.0001) were significantly higher across UA quintiles. After adjustment for age, sex, behaviour- and disease-related confounders, results were virtually unchanged. In subjects with UA within the normal range, UA was significantly and independently associated with neutrophils count, C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-1ra, IL-18, and TNF-alpha, whereas non-significant trends were observed for WBC (P=0.1) and sIL-6r (P=0.2). CONCLUSION: A positive and significant association between UA and several inflammatory markers was found in a large population-based sample of older persons and in a sub-sample of participants with normal UA. Accordingly, the prevalence of abnormally high levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6 increased significantly across UA quintiles.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Relation of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment to insulin-like growth factor-1 serum levels in subjects >65 years of age (the InCHIANTI study).

Observational studies have shown that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors is associated with the maintenance of greater muscle strength and physical performance in older subjects. However, the mechanism that underlies these beneficial effects remains poorly understood. Because ACE inhibitors block the production of angiotensin II, which is a potent inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) production, it was hypothesized that treatment with ACE inhibitors is associated with higher levels of IGF-1. This hypothesis was tested in 745 subjects (417 women, 328 men) enrolled in the Invecchiare in Chianti study. Of these, 160 were receiving ACE inhibitors. The association between ACE inhibitor use and serum IGF-1 was tested by linear regression models. After adjusting for multiple potential confounders, serum levels of total IGF-1 were significantly higher in participants receiving ACE inhibitors (mean +/- SD 129.0 +/- 56.1 ng/ml) compared with the rest of the study population (mean +/- SD 116.5 +/- 54.8 ng/ml) (p <0.001). Participants with short (<3 years) and long (3 to 9 years) treatment durations had higher serum IGF-1 levels than participants who were not receiving ACE inhibitor treatment, but the difference was statistically significant only for the short-duration group (p <0.05). In conclusion, in older subjects, treatment with ACE inhibitors for <3 years is associated with significantly higher levels of IGF-1. This may be 1 of the mechanisms by which ACE inhibitors might slow the decreases in muscle strength and physical function that are often observed in older subjects.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Frailty syndrome and skeletal muscle: results from the Invecchiare in Chianti study.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a common condition in elders and identifies a state of vulnerability for adverse health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to provide a biological face validity to the well-established definition of frailty proposed by Fried et al. DESIGN: Data are from the baseline evaluation of 923 participants aged > or =65 y enrolled in the Invecchiare in Chianti study. Frailty was defined by the presence of > or =3 of the following criteria: weight loss, exhaustion, low walking speed, low hand grip strength, and physical inactivity. Muscle density and the ratios of muscle area and fat area to total calf area were measured by using a peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT) scan. Analyses of covariance and logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the relations between frailty and pQCT measures. RESULTS: The mean age (+/-SD) of the study sample was 74.8 +/- 6.8 y, and 81 participants (8.8%) had > or =3 frailty criteria. Participants with no frailty criteria had significantly higher muscle density (71.1 mg/cm(3), SE = 0.2) and muscle area (71.2%, SE = 0.4) than did frail participants (69.8 mg/cm(3), SE = 0.4; and 68.7%, SE = 1.1, respectively). Fat area was significantly higher in frail participants (22.0%, SE = 0.9) than in participants with no frailty criteria (20.3%, SE = 0.4). Physical inactivity and low walking speed were the frailty criteria that showed the strongest associations with pQCT measures. CONCLUSION: Frail subjects, identified by an easy and inexpensive frailty score, have lower muscle density and muscle mass and higher fat mass than do nonfrail persons.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Magnesium and muscle performance in older persons: the InCHIANTI study.

BACKGROUND: The role of magnesium in maintaining muscle integrity and function in older adults is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relation between serum magnesium concentrations and muscle performance in older subjects. DESIGN: Data are from the baseline examination conducted between September 1998 and March 2000 of the InCHIANTI (aging in the Chianti area) study, a prospective epidemiologic survey of risk factors for late-life disability. From among 1453 randomly selected community residents completing a home interview, 1138 men (46%) and women (aged 66.7 +/- 15.2 y; x +/- SD) with complete data on muscle performance and serum magnesium who were not severely cognitively compromised and had no evidence of kidney disease or hypercalcemia were included in the analysis. Muscle performance was evaluated by grip strength, lower-leg muscle power, knee extension torque, and ankle extension isometric strength and was normalized for age and body mass index (BMI) within each sex. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, laboratory variables, presence of chronic diseases, muscle area, muscle density, and physical activity level, serum magnesium concentrations were significantly associated with indexes of muscle performance, including grip strength (beta = 2.0 +/- 0.5, P = 0.0002), lower-leg muscle power (beta = 8.8 +/- 2.7, P = 0.001), knee extension torque (beta = 31.2 +/- 7.9, P < 0.0001), and ankle extension strength (beta = 3.8 +/- 0.5, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The serum magnesium concentration is an independent correlate of muscle performance in older persons. Whether magnesium supplementation improves muscle function remains to be shown.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2006

Low socioeconomic status and disability in old age: evidence from the InChianti study for the mediating role of physiological impairments.

BACKGROUND: Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with increased risk of disability in later life. The purpose of this study was to determine if SES has an impact on mobility functioning and to explore which physiological impairments are also associated with SES and may explain its relationship with mobility. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 1025 individuals aged 65 years or older residing in the Chianti area (Italy). Number of years of education was used as an indicator of SES. Mobility functioning was assessed using gait speed (400 m) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Mobility-related physiological impairments were assessed with tests of executive functioning, nerve conduction velocity, muscle power, hip-ankle range of motion, Ankle-Brachial Index, and visual acuity. Linear regression models were used to study the association between number of years of education and mobility and to estimate the contribution of each of the selected physiological impairments to this association. RESULTS: Adjusting for age and sex, slower gait speed (1.16 vs 1.26 m/s, p <.0001) and lower SPPB scores (9.55 vs 10.11, p =.006) were seen in persons with < or =5 years of total education compared with those persons with >5 years of total education. Leg power and executive function decreased the strength of the association between educational level and gait speed by more than 15%. Controlling for all selected impairments (full model) decreased the education-gait speed association by 49%. Low education continued to be significantly associated with gait speed (p <.01). Adjusting for all physiological impairments substantially reduced the low education-SPPB score association by 100%, and this association was no longer significant. CONCLUSIONS: Low SES is related to multiple physiological impairments, which explain a large amount of the association between education and gait limitations. Further work must be done to understand the mechanisms whereby low SES translates into the impairments that play an important role in mobility.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2006

Lower plasma vitamin E levels are associated with the frailty syndrome: the InCHIANTI study.

BACKGROUND: The primary biologic mechanism that causes frailty in older persons has never been adequately explained. According to recent views, oxidative stress may be the driving force of this condition. We tested the hypothesis that, independent of confounders, low plasma levels of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), the main fat-soluble human antioxidant, are associated with the frailty syndrome in older persons free from dementia and disability. METHODS: The study sample included 827 older (> or =65 years) persons (women, 54%) who participated in a population-based epidemiological study. Frail participants were identified based on the presence of at least three of five of the following features: self-reported weight loss, low energy, slow gait speed, low grip strength, and low physical activity. Participants with none of these features were considered nonfrail, while participants with one or two were considered intermediate frail. Plasma vitamin E levels were determined using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Measured confounders included lower extremity muscle strength, cognitive function, diseases, and factors related to vitamin E metabolism. RESULTS: Age- and gender-adjusted levels of vitamin E decreased gradually from the nonfrail to the frail group (p for trend =.015). In the logistic model adjusted for multiple potential confounders, participants in the highest vitamin E tertile were less likely to be frail than were participants in the lowest vitamin E tertile (odds ratio, 0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show an association between low circulating levels of one of the most important components of the human antioxidant system and the presence of frailty.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Low nutrient intake is an essential component of frailty in older persons.

BACKGROUND: Poor nutrient intake is conceptualized to be a component of frailty, but this hypothesis has been little investigated. We examined the association between low energy and nutrient intake and frailty. METHODS: We used data from 802 persons aged 65 years or older participating to the InCHIANTI (Invecchiare in Chianti, aging in the Chianti area) study. Frailty was defined by having at least two of the following criteria: low muscle strength, feeling of exhaustion, low walking speed, and reduced physical activity. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC) questionnaire was used to estimate the daily intake of energy and nutrients. Low intake was defined using the value corresponding to the lowest sex-specific intake quintile of energy and specific nutrients. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were used to study the association of frailty and frailty criteria with low intakes of energy and nutrients. RESULTS: Daily energy intake < or =21 kcal/kg was significantly associated with frailty (odds ratio [OR]: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.02-1.5). After adjusting for energy intake, a low intake of protein (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.18-3.31); vitamins D (OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.48-3.73), E (OR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.28-3.33), C (OR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.34-3.45), and folate (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.14-2.98); and having a low intake of more than three nutrients (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.29-3.50) were significantly and independently related to frailty. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that low intakes of energy and selected nutrients are independently associated with frailty.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Adding challenge to performance-based tests of walking: The Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit (WIT).

OBJECTIVE: In this report, we provide a detailed description of and reproducibility data on the 14 performance-based tests of lower limb function included in the Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit, which were designed to mimic challenging situations that are encountered while walking in daily life. DESIGN: Five women and five men were randomly selected from each of the age strata, 65-74, 75-84, and > or =85 yrs, among those who received a functional evaluation in the Greve site at the second InCHIANTI study follow-up (total n = 30). Walking tests were administered twice at 2-wk intervals. Analyses were aimed at assessing reproducibility of the Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit components and the existence of a learning effect. RESULTS: Performance remained stable for eight walking tests and slightly but significantly improved for the 25-cm narrow-path walk, 7-m usual-pace, 7-m obstacle normal light, 7-m holding a package, and 7-m talking while walking tests. Test-retest reliability was in general very high, with 11 of 14 (79%) of the intraclass correlation coefficient values >0.80 and all except one (7-m holding a package) >0.75. CONCLUSION: The walking tests included in the Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit show very good medium-term reproducibility and modest learning effect. Administering components of the Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit may help in the understanding of the effect of challenges encountered in daily life on walking performance.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Correlation between testosterone and the inflammatory marker soluble interleukin-6 receptor in older men.

CONTEXT: An age-associated decline in testosterone (T) levels and an increase in proinflammatory cytokines contribute to chronic diseases in older men. Whether and how these changes are related is unclear. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that T and inflammatory markers are negatively correlated in older men. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING: A population-based sample of older men was studied. PARTICIPANTS AND MEASURES: After excluding participants taking glucocorticoids or antibiotics or those with recent hospitalization, 467 men, aged 65 yr or older, had complete determinations of total T, bioavailable T, SHBG, albumin, IL-6, soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6r), TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, sIL-6r was significantly and inversely correlated with total T (r = -0.20; P < 0.001) and bioavailable T (r = -0.12; P < 0.05). T was not correlated with any other inflammatory marker. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest an inverse relationship between T and sIL-6r. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish the causality of this association.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Structural adaptations to bone loss in aging men and women.

INTRODUCTION: Bone apposition on the subperiosteal surface and bone loss from the endocortical surface during aging establish the external diameter, total cross-sectional area (tCSA), cortical thickness (Ct.Th) and the distance the cortex is placed from the neutral axis of a long bone, all determinants of bone strength. We tested the hypothesis that sex-related differences in these processes produces a sexual dimorphism in tibial fragility. METHODS: The above traits were assessed in 688 women and 561 men (20-102 years old) using peripheral QCT. RESULTS: Total and medullary areas were greater in young adult men than young adult women. As age advanced, in men, tCSA area increased by 0.79 SD, and medullary area increased by 0.54 SD so that cortical area, cortical thickness and minimum and maximum moments of inertia (Imin and Imax) were similar at all ages. In women, tCSA increased by 0.2 SD, while medullary area increased by 2.6 SD so that cortical area and thickness and the moments of inertia diminished. Cortical apparent volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) declined more in women (by 3.1 SD) than men (by 0.5 SD). In both sexes, the lower the cortical apparent vBMD, the higher the tCSA (women R2 = 0.13, men R2 = 0.16, both P < 0.0001), whereas the lower the Ct.Th, the lower the tCSA (women R2 = 0.30, men R2 = 0.32, both P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Bone loss reduces cortical thickness and increases intracortical porosity. These changes tend to be compensated for by periosteal apposition in both sexes but more greatly in men than in women, perhaps because this mechanism may be ineffective when cortical thinning is severe.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2005

Relationship of plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids to circulating inflammatory markers.

AIMS: Persons with high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The protective effect of PUFAs is mediated by multiple mechanisms, including their antiinflammatory properties. The association of physiological PUFA levels with pro- and antiinflammatory markers has not been established. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 1123 persons (aged 20-98 yr), we examined the relationship between relative concentration of fatty acids in fasting plasma and level of inflammatory markers. Adjusting for age, sex, and major confounders, lower arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids were associated with significantly higher IL-6 and IL-1ra and significantly lower TGFbeta. Lower alpha-linolenic acid was associated with higher C-reactive protein and IL-1ra, and lower eicosapentaenoic acid was associated with higher IL-6 and lower TGFbeta. Lower docosahexaenoic acid was strongly associated with lower IL-10. Total n-3 fatty acids were associated with lower IL-6 (P = 0.005), IL-1ra (P = 0.004), and TNFalpha (P = 0.040) and higher soluble IL-6r (P < 0.001), IL-10 (P = 0.024), and TGFbeta (P = 0.0012). Lower n-6 fatty acid levels were significantly associated with higher IL-1ra (P = 0.026) and lower TGFbeta (P = 0.014). The n-6 to n-3 ratio was a strong, negative correlate of IL-10. Findings were similar in participants free of cardiovascular diseases and after excluding lipids from covariates. CONCLUSIONS: In this community-based sample, PUFAs, and especially total n-3 fatty acids, were independently associated with lower levels of proinflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1ra, TNFalpha, C-reactive protein) and higher levels of antiinflammatory markers (soluble IL-6r, IL-10, TGFbeta) independent of confounders. Our findings support the notion that n-3 fatty acids may be beneficial in patients affected by diseases characterized by active inflammation.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Markers of inflammation, vitamin E and peripheral nervous system function: the InCHIANTI study.

BACKGROUND: Aging of the peripheral nervous system is associated with several morphologic and functional changes, including a decrease of the nerve conduction velocity. There is evidence that these changes contribute to age-related-decline in muscle strength, sensory discrimination, and autonomic responses. The aim of this study was to characterize the decline in nerve conduction velocity in the peripheral nervous system over the aging process and to identify factors that, independent of age, affect nerve conduction velocity. METHODS: We measured motor nerve conduction velocity of the right superficial peroneal nerve using a standard neurophysiologic technique in a population-based sample of subjects aged between 20 and 103 years old enrolled in the InCHIANTI study. RESULTS: Average conduction velocities in the peripheral nerve decreased linearly with age in both sexes. We found that diabetes, cognitive impairment, uric acid, sIL-6R and alpha-tocopherol were significant predictors of nerve conduction velocity independently of the potential confounding effect of age, sex, sex x age interaction term, height, lymphocytes, neutrophils number, alpha1 and alpha2-globulin serum protein. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that inflammation and inadequate antioxidant defenses are associated with accelerated decline of nerve conduction velocity over the aging process.

Adult↗