Interleukin-6 modulates plasma cholesterol and C-reactive protein concentrations in nonagenarians.
OBJECTIVE
To establish whether the relationship between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and plasma lipid and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations is different in Finnish nonagenarians than in middle-aged subjects with lower inflammatory status.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Observational cohort study concentrating on the oldest old.


METHODS
Nonagenarians (n=291, mean age+/-standard deviation 90+/-1; 68 men, 223 women) who lived in the Tampere municipality in southern Finland and a middle-aged control population from the same area (n=227, aged 44+/-8).


METHODS
Plasma high sensitive CRP and lipid concentrations were analyzed using an automatic analyzer and IL-6 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Plasma concentrations of IL-6 (4.39+/-5.25 vs 1.88+/-1.98 pg/mL) and CRP (3.54+/-4.98 vs 1.53+/-1.91 mg/L) were significantly higher in nonagenarians than in middle-aged subjects (P<.001). In nonagenarians, plasma CRP levels increased (P<.001) and plasma total cholesterol (P=.006), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=.02), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=.002) levels decreased according to IL-6 quartiles. In middle-aged subjects, similar associations were not found.


CONCLUSIONS
The relationship between IL-6 and plasma CRP and cholesterol levels in nonagenarians with enhanced systemic inflammation differs from that of middle-aged subjects.
Lehtimäki
Terho
T
Laboratory of Atherosclerosis Genetics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. terho.lehtimaki@uta.fi
Ojala
Petri
P
Rontu
Riikka
R
Goebeler
Sirkka
S
Karhunen
Pekka J
PJ
Jylhä
Marja
M
Mattila
Kari
K
Metso
Saara
S
Jokela
Hannu
H
Nikkilä
Matti
M
Wuolijoki
Erkki
E
Hervonen
Antti
A
Hurme
Mikko
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol