Ageing, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and atherosclerosis.
Ageing is associated with increased inflammatory activity in the blood. The purpose of this study was to investigate if age-related increased plasma levels of TNF-alpha were associated with atherosclerosis in a cohort of 130 humans aged 81 years. The elderly cohort had increased circulating levels of TNF-alpha, C-reactive protein (CRP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and a low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/TC ratio compared with a young control group (n = 44). The elderly cohort was divided by tertiles into three subgroups with low, intermediate, and high levels of TNF-alpha, respectively. In the group with high TNF-alpha concentrations a significantly larger proportion had clinical diagnoses of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, weak correlations were found between TNF-alpha on one hand and blood concentrations of triglycerides, leucocytes, CRP and a low HDL/TC ratio on the other which are known as risk factors of atherogenesis and thromboembolic complications. No correlations were found between TNF-alpha, TC, LDL, or the body mass index. In conclusion, the present study shows that in a cohort of 81-year-old humans, high levels of TNF-alpha in the blood were associated with a high prevalence of atherosclerosis.
Department of Infectious Diseases, H:S, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. infdishb@rh.dk
H
H
Bruunsgaard
P
P
Skinhøj
A N
AN
Pedersen
M
M
Schroll
B K
BK
Pedersen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001167:Arteritis / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol