Cardiovascular advantages among the offspring of centenarians

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

The below centenarian study was interesting to me, since they examined heart

disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, stroke, dementia,

cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, depression, Parkinson's disease,

thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Since cancer,

osteoporosis, stroke, dementia, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration,

depression, Parkinson's disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease were not among the factors, CR may independent of genetics

influence these factors more. Is this correct?

Cancer is the greatest threat of these other diseases. Although PMID:

12470840 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] says “cancer incidence and mortality

show a leveling off around the age of 85-90 years”, they argue centenarian

genetic predisposition to cancer is affected, it seems.

In CRed rodents, cancer reduction is huge.

Cheers, Al.

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2003 May;58(5):M425-31

Cardiovascular advantages among the offspring of centenarians.

Terry DF, Wilcox M, McCormick MA, Lawler E, Perls TT.

BACKGROUND: A significant component of

the ability to survive to exceptional old

age may be familial. This study assessed the

prevalence of age-related diseases

in the offspring of centenarians.

METHODS: The health histories of centenarian

offspring () and controls () were assessed

from 1997-2000 using a

cross-sectional study design. The offspring

of 192 centenarian subjects enrolled

in the nationwide New England Centenarian

Study were recruited and enrolled.

Controls consisted of offspring whose

parents were born in the same years as the

centenarians but at least 1 of whom died

at an average life expectancy.

Prevalence of age-related diseases

including heart disease, hypertension,

diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, stroke,

dementia, cataracts, glaucoma, macular

degeneration, depression, Parkinson's

disease, thyroid disease, and chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease were

compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: Centenarian offspring had a 56%

reduced relative prevalence of heart disease

(odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence

interval [CI] 0.24, 0.80), a 66% reduced

relative prevalence of hypertension

(OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.21, 0.55), and 59%

reduced relative prevalence of diabetes

(OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.15, 1.12) after

multivariate adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSIONS: The offspring of centenarians

demonstrate a markedly reduced prevalence

of diseases associated with aging, in

particular for cardiovascular disease

and cardiovascular risk factors. Along

with their parents, the centenarian

offspring, who are in their 70s and 80s, may

prove to be a valuable cohort to study

genetic and environmental factors

conducive to the ability to live to

very old age in good health.

PMID: 12730251 [PubMed - in process]

Alan Pater, Ph.D.; Faculty of Medicine; Memorial University; St. 's, NL

A1B 3V6 Canada; Tel. No.: (709) 777-6488; Fax No.: (709) 777-7010; email:

apater@...