HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Cited by other online articles Google Scholar Articles by Terry, D. F. Articles by Perls, T. T. Articles citing this Article PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Terry, D. F. Articles by Perls, T. T.

Cardiovascular Advantages Among the Offspring of Centenarians

Geriatrics Section, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Background. A significant component of the ability to survive to exceptional old age may be familial. This study assessed the prevalence of age-related diseases in the offspring of centenarians.

Methods. The health histories of centenarian offspring () and controls () were assessed from 1997–2000 using a cross-sectional study design. The offspring of 192 centenarian subjects enrolled in the nationwide New England Centenarian Study were recruited and enrolled. Controls consisted of offspring whose parents were born in the same years as the centenarians but at least 1 of whom died at an average life expectancy. Prevalence of age-related diseases including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, stroke, dementia, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, depression, Parkinson's disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were compared between the two groups.

Results. Centenarian offspring had a 56% reduced relative prevalence of heart disease (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.24, 0.80), a 66% reduced relative prevalence of hypertension (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.21, 0.55), and 59% reduced relative prevalence of diabetes (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.15, 1.12) after multivariate adjusted analyses.

Conclusions. The offspring of centenarians demonstrate a markedly reduced prevalence of diseases associated with aging, in particular for cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Along with their parents, the centenarian offspring, who are in their 70s and 80s, may prove to be a valuable cohort to study genetic and environmental factors conducive to the ability to live to very old age in good health.

This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)

				T. T Perls The different paths to 100 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2006; 83(2): 484S - 487S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Zureik, P. Galan, S. Bertrais, D. Courbon, S. Czernichow, J. Blacher, P. Ducimetiere, M. E. Safar, and S. Hercberg Parental Longevity and 7-Year Changes in Blood Pressures in Adult Offspring Hypertension, August 1, 2005; 46(2): 287 - 294. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Karasik, S. Demissie, L. A. Cupples, and D. P. Kiel Disentangling the Genetic Determinants of Human Aging: Biological Age as an Alternative to the Use of Survival Measures J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., May 1, 2005; 60(5): 574 - 587. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. CARUSO, D. LIO, L. CAVALLONE, and C. FRANCESCHI Aging, Longevity, Inflammation, and Cancer Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., December 1, 2004; 1028(1): 1 - 13. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D Lio, G Candore, A Crivello, L Scola, G Colonna-Romano, L Cavallone, E Hoffmann, M Caruso, F Licastro, C M Caldarera, A Branzi, C Franceschi, and C Caruso Opposite effects of interleukin 10 common gene polymorphisms in cardiovascular diseases and in successful ageing: genetic background of male centenarians is protective against coronary heart disease J. Med. Genet., October 1, 2004; 41(10): 790 - 794. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. F. TERRY, M. McCORMICK, S. ANDERSEN, J. PENNINGTON, E. SCHOENHOFEN, E. PALAIMA, M. BAUSERO, K. OGAWA, T. T. PERLS, and A. ASEA Cardiovascular Disease Delay in Centenarian Offspring: Role of Heat Shock Proteins Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., June 1, 2004; 1019(1): 502 - 505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Geesaman, E. Benson, S. J. Brewster, L. M. Kunkel, H. Blanche, G. Thomas, T. T. Perls, M. J. Daly, and A. A. Puca Haplotype-based identification of a microsomal transfer protein marker associated with the human lifespan PNAS, November 25, 2003; 100(24): 14115 - 14120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Chen Chasing 100 Sci. Aging Knowl. Environ., August 13, 2003; 2003(32): nf15 - 15. [Abstract] [Full Text]