title: Hematopoietic capacity and exceptional survival: the Leiden Longevity Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether familial longevity can be attributed to sustained hematopoietic capacity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective follow-up study of two independent population-based cohorts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Leiden Longevity Study and the Leiden 85-plus Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  From the Leiden Longevity Study, 1,001 nonagenarians with familial longevity were included. As age-matched controls, 260 nonagenarians without familial longevity were used from the Leiden 85-plus Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hemoglobin, leukocytes, and thrombocytes were measured for all subjects with and without familial longevity. Standardized mortality ratios, linear regression, and left-censored Cox regression were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality in nonagenarians with familial longevity was 28% lower than in nonagenarians from the general population (standardized mortality ratio=0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.65-0.79, P<.001). No differences were found between hemoglobin, leukocyte, and thrombocyte count in nonagenarians with and without familial longevity (all P>.30). Nonagenarians with familial longevity had greater mortality risk when anemia was present (sex-adjusted hazard ratio=1.71, 95% CI 1.41-2.07, P<.001). No relationship was found between leukocytes, thrombocytes, and mortality in either study group (all P>.20).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hematopoietic capacity cannot explain the significantly better survival of nonagenarians with familial longevity, but in those with familial longevity, anemia may contribute to mortality.
authors.affiliation: Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. j.m.willems@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Jorien M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trompet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eline Slagboom
authors.forename: Anton J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Craen
authors.forename: Rudi G J
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Westendorp
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010375:Pedigree; D010976:Platelet Count
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins