Sex and age specificity of susceptibility genes modulating survival at old age.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to investigate the influence of the genetic variability of candidate genes on survival at old age in good health.


METHODS
First, on the basis of a synthetic survival curve constructed using historic mortality data taken from the Italian population from 1890 onward, we defined three age classes ranging from 18 to 106 years. Second, we assembled a multinomial logistic regression model to evaluate the effect of dichotomous variables (genotypes) on the probability to be assigned to a specific category (age class). Third, we applied the regression model to a cross-sectional dataset (10 genes; 972 subjects selected for healthy status) categorized according to age and sex.


RESULTS
We found that genetic factors influence survival at advanced age in good health in a sex- and age-specific way. Furthermore, we found that genetic variability plays a stronger role in males than in females and that, in both genders, its impact is especially important at very old ages.


CONCLUSIONS
The analyses presented here underline the age-specific effect of the gene network in modulating survival at advanced age in good health.
Passarino
Giuseppe
G
Department of Cell Biology, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy. g.passarino@unical.it
Montesanto
Alberto
A
Dato
Serena
S
Giordano
Sabrina
S
Domma
Filippo
F
Mari
Vincenzo
V
Feraco
Emidio
E
De Benedictis
Giovanna
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics