title: Family clustering in Sardinian longevity: a genealogical approach.
abstract: This paper aims to discuss the validation and family determinants affecting the longevity of Sardinian centenarians, using a genealogical approach. This preliminary study presents the first results of a genealogical tree reconstruction of selected centenarians aged 105 and over, from certain areas. These are mostly situated in the province of Nuoro, an area with the highest rate of centenarians and where the female-to-male sex ratio tends to be male-biased. An accurate centenarian age validation was performed that required a meticulous examination of numerous civil status records and parish registers. An important finding was that longevity occurs among the ascendants of a particular branch of the family. The data used are still provisional but, should it apply to other validated cases, it would provide empirical evidence of a genetic component in longevity. A more thorough examination of the data available may yield deeper insights into the role played by endogamy and consanguinity.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome, La Sapienza, Department of Demography, Italy. graziella.caselli@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caselli
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Vaupel
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deiana
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pes
authors.forename: Ciriaco
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carru
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Giovannella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baggio
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D012737:Sex Factors