These preliminary findings suggest an inverse relationship between T and sIL-6r. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish the causality of this association.

Older men and women with low testosterone levels have a higher risk of anemia.

Objectives To investigate thyroid function testing abnormalities in older persons and to explore the relationship between thyroid dysfunction and cognition. Design Cross-sectional study Setting Community-based Participants 1171 men and women aged 23-102 yrs Measurements Thyroid function was evaluated by measuring plasma concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3). Cognition was evaluated by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Prevalence of overt and subclinical thyroid dysfunction was evaluated in different age groups (<65 versus ≥65 years). Age trends in TSH, FT4, and FT3 were examined in euthyroid participants. The cross-sectional association of thyroid dysfunction with MMSE score was evaluated adjusting for confounders. Results Both subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism were more prevalent in older than in younger participants (Subclinical hypothyroidism, 0.4 % vs 3.5 % in younger vs older participants, respectively, P<.03 Subclinical hyperthyroidism, 1.9 % vs 7.8 % in younger vs older participants, respectively, P<.002). In euthyroid participants TSH and FT3 declined with age while FT4 increased. Old participants with subclinical hyperthyroidism had a lower MMSE score than euthyroid subjects (22.61 ± 6.88 vs 24.72 ± 4.52, P<.03). In adjusted analyses, participants with subclinical hyperthyroidism were significantly more likely to have cognitive dysfunction (HR: 2.26, P= .003). Conclusion Subtle age-related changes in FT3, FT4 and TSH occur in individuals who remain euthyroid. Subclinical hyperthyroidism is the most prevalent thyroid dysfunction in Italian older persons and is associated with cognitive impairment.

Background: Aging in men is characterized by a progressive decline in levels of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone, insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). We hypothesized that in older men a parallel age-associated decline in bioavailable testosterone, IGF-1, and DHEA-S secretion is associated with higher mortality independent of potential confounders.Methods: Testosterone, IGF-1, DHEA-S, and demographic features were evaluated in a representative sample of 410 men 65 years and older enrolled in the Aging in the Chianti Area (InCHIANTI) study. A total of 126 men died during the 6-year follow-up. Thresholds for lowestquartile definitions were 70 ng/dL (to convert to nanomoles per liter, multiply by 0.0347) for bioavailable testosterone, 63.9 ng/mL (to convert to nanomoles per liter, multiply by 0.131) for total IGF-1, and 50 µg/dL (to convert to micromoles per liter, multiply by 0.027) for DHEA-S. Men were divided into 4 groups: no hormone in the lowest quartile (reference) and 1, 2, and 3 hor-mones in the lowest quartiles. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for confounders were used in the analysis.Results: Compared with men with levels of all 3 hormones above the lowest quartiles, having 1, 2, and 3 dysregulated hormones was associated with hazard ratios for mortality of 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-2.44), 1.85 (95% CI, 1.04-3.30), and 2.29 (95% CI, 1.12-4.68), respectively (test for trend, PϽ.001). In the fully adjusted analysis, only men with 3 anabolic hormone deficiencies had a significant increase in mortality (hazard ratio, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.09-5.46 (test for trend, PϽ.001).Conclusions: Age-associated decline in anabolic hormone levels is a strong independent predictor of mortality in older men. Having multiple hormonal deficiencies rather than a deficiency in a single anabolic hormone is a robust biomarker of health status in older persons.