Age-related influences on markers of inflammation and fibrinolysis.

Purpose. The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine if age is associated with blood markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]) and fibrinolysis (fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator [t-PA], and plasminogen activator inhibitor - 1 [PAI-1]), independent of body fat and physical activity levels.Conclusions. The primary finding of the current study is that age is not independently associated with blood concentrations of CRP, fibrinogen, tPA or PAI-1. However, it was observed that inflammation and fibrinolysis were associated with blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and measures of body fatness. These associations provide a possible explanation for the discrepancy between our findings and those of previous studies which did not control for such factors.Results. Age was not associated with concentrations of CRP (r = -0.073, p = 0.519). CRP was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to HDL levels (r = -0.255), BMI (r = 0.304), percent body fat (r = 0.221) and trunk fat mass (r = 0.234). Of these, BMI was the only significant predictor (r2 = 0.095, p = 0.002) of CRP levels. Age was not correlated with fibrinogen (r = 0.206, p = 0.065), or PAI-1 (r = 0.084, p = 0.454), but was initially correlated with t-PA (r = 0.228, p = 0.042). The markers of fibrinolysis were correlated (p < 0.05) with blood pressure, HDL, triglycerides, percent body fat, body fat mass, percent trunk fat, and trunk fat mass. However, none of these variables or age were independent predictors of blood concentrations of fibrinogen (r2 = 0.237, p = 0.226), t-PA (r2 = 0.079, p = 0.636), or PAI - 1 (r2 = 0.137, p = 0.333).Methods. A total of 40 healthy males and 42 healthy females ranging in age from 21 to 89 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Blood levels of CRP, fibrinogen, t-PA, and PAI-1 were measured and compared with age, clinical characteristics, physical activity levels, and body composition. Body composition was assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and physical activity was assessed with a StepWatch Activity Monitor

Physical activity is related to quality of life in older adults

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is associated with health-related quality of life (HRQL) in clinical populations, but less is known whether this relationship exists in older men and women who are healthy. Thus, this study determined if physical activity was related to HRQL in apparently healthy, older subjects. METHODS: Measures were obtained from 112 male and female volunteers (70 ± 8 years, mean ± SD) recruited from media advertisements and flyers around the Norman, Oklahoma area. Data was collected using a medical history questionnaire, HRQL from the Medical Outcomes Survey short form-36 questionnaire, and physical activity level from the Johnson Space Center physical activity scale. Subjects were separated into either a higher physically active group (n = 62) or a lower physically active group (n = 50) according to the physical activity scale. RESULTS: The HRQL scores in all eight domains were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the group reporting higher physical activity. Additionally, the more active group had fewer females (44% vs. 72%, p = 0.033), and lower prevalence of hypertension (39% vs. 60%, p = 0.041) than the low active group. After adjusting for gender and hypertension, the more active group had higher values in the following five HRQL domains: physical function (82 ± 20 vs. 68 ± 21, p = 0.029), role-physical (83 ± 34 vs. 61 ± 36, p = 0.022), bodily pain (83 ± 22 vs. 66 ± 23, p = 0.001), vitality (74 ± 15 vs. 59 ± 16, p = 0.001), and social functioning (92 ± 18 vs. 83 ± 19, p = 0.040). General health, role-emotional, and mental health were not significantly different (p > 0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Healthy older adults who regularly participated in physical activity of at least moderate intensity for more than one hour per week had higher HRQL measures in both physical and mental domains than those who were less physically active. Therefore, incorporating more physical activity into the lifestyles of sedentary or slightly active older individuals may improve their HRQL

The influence of obesity on falls and quality of life

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The influence of obesity on calf blood flow and vascular reactivity in older adults

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether differences in vascular reactivity existed among normal weight, overweight, and obese older men and women, and to examine the association between abdominal fat distribution and vascular reactivity. METHODS: Eighty-seven individuals who were 60 years of age or older (age = 69 ± 7 yrs; mean ± SD) were grouped into normal weight (BMI < 25; n = 30), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 and < 30; n = 28), or obese (BMI ≥ 30; n = 29) categories. Calf blood flow (BF) was assessed by venous occlusion strain-gauge plethysmography at rest and post-occlusive reactive hyperemia. RESULTS: Post-occlusive reactive hyperemia BF was lower (p = 0.038) in the obese group (5.55 ± 4.67 %/min) than in the normal weight group (8.34 ± 3.89 %/min). Additionally, change in BF from rest to post-occlusion in the obese group (1.93 ± 2.58 %/min) was lower (p = 0.001) than in the normal weight group (5.21 ± 3.59 %/min), as well as the percentage change (75 ± 98 % vs. 202 ± 190 %, p = 0.006, respectively). After adjusting for age, prevalence in hypertension and calf skinfold thickness, change in BF values remained lower (p < 0.05) in obese subjects compared to the normal weight subjects. Lastly, the absolute and percentage change in BF were significantly related to BMI (r = -0.44, p < 0.001, and r = -0.37, p < 0.001, respectively) and to waist circumference (r = -0.36, p = 0.001, and r = -0.32, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Obesity and abdominal adiposity impair vascular reactivity in older men and women, and these deleterious effects on vascular reactivity are independent of conventional risk factors

The Relationship Between Arterial Elasticity and Metabolic Syndrome Features

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of metabolic syndrome (MS) features on arterial elasticity of the large and small arteries in apparently healthy adults, to examine the effect of clustered features of MS, and to determine which features are most predictive of large and small artery elasticity. The subjects for this study consisted of 126 men and women, age 45 years and older. The subjects rested supine while pulse contour analysis was measured from the radial artery by using an HDI/Pulsewave CR-2000 instrument (Hypertension Diagnostic, Inc) to assess arterial elasticity in the large and small arteries. Medical history was obtained along with body mass index, waist circumference, body surface area, and blood pressure. Large artery elasticity was lower (p=0.002) in subjects with hypertension (12.7 ∓4.3 mL/mm Hg × 10) than in those with normotension (15.0 ∓4.2 mL/mm Hg × 10; mean ∓ SD), and small artery elasticity was lower (p=0.001) as well (3.9 ∓2.3 mL/mm Hg × 100 vs 5.3 ∓2.5 mL/mm Hg × 100). Large artery elasticity was lower (p=0.02) in obese subjects (12.2 ∓4.9 mL/mm Hg × 10) than in nonobese subjects (14.2 ∓4.5 mL/mm Hg × 10), and large artery elasticity was lower (p=0.04) in subjects with abdominal obesity (12.2 ∓4.5 mL/mm Hg × 10) than in those without (14.5 ∓4.8 mL/mm Hg × 10). Large artery elasticity decreased as the number of features of MS increased (p<0.01). Multiple regression showed that body mass index and the presence of hypertension were predictors of large artery elasticity (R =0.61, R 2 =0.37, p=0.003, SEE = 3.60 mL/mm Hg × 10), and hypertension was a predictor of small artery elasticity (R =0.53, R 2 =0.28, p=0.001, SEE = 2.12 mL/mm Hg × 100). Hypertension and obesity are the features of MS that are most predictive of impairment in large and small artery elasticity in apparently healthy middle-aged and older adults. Furthermore, impairment in large artery elasticity is more evident in subjects with at least three features of MS.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Differences in Vascular Reactivity Between Men and Women

The purpose of this study was to compare the gender and age-related differences in vascular reactivity in healthy men and women across a wide age range. Fifty-seven men and 61 women between 20 and 89 years of age, free of cardiovascular disease and risk factors, were categorized into younger (20-39 years), middle-aged (40-59 years), and older (60-89 years) age groups. Subjects were characterized on body weight and height, body mass index (BMI), and calf blood flow under resting, postocclusive reactive hyperemic (PORH), and maximal hyperemic conditions in the lower extremity with use of venous occlusion mercury strain-gauge plethysmography. Similar baseline characteristics were observed among age groups, whereas men had greater body weight (p0.05). Furthermore, the percentage change in calf blood flow from rest to PORH was negatively related to body weight (r = -0.30, p0.05) in the calf blood flow measures were observed among the age groups. In a healthy cohort free of cardiovascular disease, increased BMI accounted for poorer vascular reactivity in men compared to women regardless of age.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline