title: No relation between CMV infection and mortality in the oldest old: results from the Belfrail study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  previous studies have demonstrated an association between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and mortality in adults. In this prospective study, it was investigated whether these findings could be confirmed in the oldest old.
  
  
  METHODS
  data obtained from a prospective observational cohort study (2008-2012) of 549 community-dwelling persons in Belgium aged 80 and older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  seventy-six percent were anti-CMV seropositive of whom 37.5% had an anti-CMV IgG titre in the highest tertile (>250 IU/ml). After a median time of follow-up of 1,049 days, 127 deaths occurred. Cox proportional hazard models failed to show an association between CMV serostatus and all-cause mortality. Among persons seropositive for CMV, after adjusting for multiple confounders an anti-CMV in the highest tertile was statistically significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.64, 95% confidence interval: 1.08, 2.48).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in contrast to previous findings, a positive CMV serostatus was not associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality in this cohort of very old people. This is probably the result of a survival effect. CMV seropositive subjects with high anti-CMV titres were at higher risk for all-cause mortality compared with other individuals. This may reflect CMV infection reactivation to be more common in the end stages of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KULeuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok J, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matheï
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KULeuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok J, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Adriaensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KULeuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok J, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vaes
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KULeuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok J, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Pottelbergh
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analytical Biochemistry, Clinique Universitaires St Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wallemacq
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KULeuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33 blok J, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Degryse
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002423:Cause of Death; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: 80 and over; aged; cytomegalovirus; mortality; older people