@article {709, title = {Frailty and activation of the inflammation and coagulation systems with and without clinical comorbidities: results from the Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {Arch Intern Med}, volume = {162}, year = {2002}, month = {2002 Nov 11}, pages = {2333-41}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The biological basis of frailty has been difficult to establish owing to the lack of a standard definition, its complexity, and its frequent coexistence with illness.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the biological correlates of frailty in the presence and absence of concurrent cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus.

METHODS: Participants were 4735 community-dwelling adults 65 years and older. Frail, intermediate, and nonfrail subjects were identified by a validated screening tool and exclusion criteria. Bivariate relationships between frailty level and physiological measures were evaluated by Pearson chi2 tests for categorical variables and analysis of variance F tests for continuous variables. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to evaluate multivariable relationships between frailty status and physiological measures.

RESULTS: Of 4735 Cardiovascular Health Study participants, 299 (6.3\%) were identified as frail, 2147 (45.3\%) as intermediate, and 2289 (48.3\%) as not frail. Frail vs nonfrail participants had increased mean +/- SD levels of C-reactive protein (5.5 +/- 9.8 vs 2.7 +/- 4.0 mg/L), factor VIII (13 790 +/- 4480 vs 11 860 +/- 3460 mg/dL), and, in a smaller subset, D dimer (647 +/- 1033 vs 224 +/- 258 ng/mL) (P< or =.001 for all, chi2 test for trend). These differences persisted when individuals with cardiovascular disease and diabetes were excluded and after adjustment for age, sex, and race.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis that there is a specific physiological basis to the geriatric syndrome of frailty that is characterized in part by increased inflammation and elevated markers of blood clotting and that these physiological differences persist when those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease are excluded.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Blood Coagulation Disorders, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cohort Studies, Diabetes Complications, Diabetes Mellitus, Female, Frail Elderly, Geriatric Assessment, Humans, Inflammation, Longitudinal Studies, Male}, issn = {0003-9926}, doi = {10.1001/archinte.162.20.2333}, author = {Walston, Jeremy and McBurnie, Mary Ann and Newman, Anne and Tracy, Russell P and Kop, Willem J and Hirsch, Calvin H and Gottdiener, John and Fried, Linda P} } @article {7379, title = {Fibroblast growth factor 23, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular hypertrophy in community-dwelling older adults.}, journal = {Atherosclerosis}, volume = {231}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Nov}, pages = {114-9}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: In chronic kidney disease (CKD), high FGF23 concentrations are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), cardiovascular events, and death. The associations of FGF23 with left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVH in the general population and the influence of CKD remains uncertain.

METHODS: C-terminal plasma FGF23 concentrations were measured, and LVM and LVH evaluated by echocardiogram among 2255 individuals >=65 years in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Linear regression analysis adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular, and kidney related risk factors examined the associations of FGF23 concentrations with LVM. Analyses were stratified by CKD status and adjusted linear and logistic regression analysis explored the associations of FGF23 with LVM and LVH.

RESULTS: Among the entire cohort, higher FGF23 concentrations were associated with greater LVM in adjusted analyses (β = 6.71 [95\% CI 4.35-9.01] g per doubling of FGF23). 32\% (n = 624) had CKD (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and/or urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio >30 mg/g). Associations were stronger among participants with CKD (p interaction = 0.006): LVM β = 9.71 [95\% CI 5.86-13.56] g per doubling of FGF23 compared to those without CKD (β = 3.44 [95\% CI 0.77, 6.11] g per doubling of FGF23). While there was no significant interaction between FGF23 and CKD for LVH (p interaction = 0.25), the OR (1.46 95\% CI [1.20-1.77]) in the CKD group was statistically significant and of larger magnitude than the OR for in the no CKD group (1.12 [95\% CI 0.97-1.48]).

CONCLUSION: In a large cohort of older community-dwelling adults, higher FGF23 concentrations were associated with greater LVM and LVH with stronger relationships in participants with CKD.

}, keywords = {Aged, Female, Fibroblast Growth Factors, Heart Ventricles, Humans, Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Renal Insufficiency, Chronic, Risk Factors, Ultrasonography}, issn = {1879-1484}, doi = {10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.09.002}, author = {Jovanovich, Anna and Ix, Joachim H and Gottdiener, John and McFann, Kim and Katz, Ronit and Kestenbaum, Bryan and de Boer, Ian H and Sarnak, Mark and Shlipak, Michael G and Mukamal, Kenneth J and Siscovick, David and Chonchol, Michel} }