Effect of Familial Longevity on Frailty and Sarcopenia: A Case–Control Study

Abstract

Familial longevity confers advantages in terms of health, functionality, and longevity. We sought to assess potential differences in frailty and sarcopenia in older adults according to a parental history of extraordinary longevity. A total of 176 community-dwelling subjects aged 65–80 years were recruited in this observational case–control study, pair-matched 1:1 for gender, age, and place of birth and residence: 88 centenarians’ offspring (case group) and 88 non-centenarians’ offspring (control group). The main variables were frailty and sarcopenia based on Fried’s phenotype and the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) definitions, respectively. Sociodemographics, comorbidities, clinical and functional variables, the presence of geriatric syndromes, and laboratory parameters were also collected. Related sample tests were applied, and conditional logistic regression was performed. Cases had a higher percentage of robust patients (31.8% vs. 15.9%), lower percentages of frailty (9.1% vs. 21.6%) and pre-frailty (59.1% vs. 62.5%) (p = 0.001), and lower levels of IL-6 (p = 0.044) than controls. The robust adjusted OR for cases was 3.00 (95% CI = 1.06–8.47, p = 0.038). No significant differences in muscle mass were found. Familial longevity was also associated with less obesity, insomnia, pain, and polypharmacy and a higher education level and total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The results suggest an inherited genetic component in the frailty phenotype, while the sarcopenia association with familial longevity remains challenging.

High serum klotho levels are inversely associated with the risk of low muscle mass in middle-aged adults: results from a cross-sectional study

“…Population aging is a global phenomenon with significant implications for healthcare and society. In 2018, the number of people aged 65 and older surpassed the number of children under 5 worldwide for the first time in history (1). By 2050, the population of people aged 80 and older is expected to triple (1).…”

“…In 2018, the number of people aged 65 and older surpassed the number of children under 5 worldwide for the first time in history (1). By 2050, the population of people aged 80 and older is expected to triple (1). As life expectancy increases, the demand for strategies that promote not just longer life but also longer healthy life grows.…”