@article {928, title = {Determinants of serum total and free testosterone levels in women over the age of 65 years.}, journal = {J Clin Endocrinol Metab}, volume = {92}, year = {2007}, month = {2007 Feb}, pages = {509-16}, abstract = {

CONTEXT: Little is known about testosterone (T) levels and their determinants in women of late postmenopausal age.

OBJECTIVE: We describe levels of total and free T and selected factors that influence these levels in a random sample of older women.

DESIGN: Levels of serum total T and free T by microdialysis were measured using ultrasensitive assays in 347 community-dwelling women aged 65-98 yr enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to define factors associated with total and free T levels.

RESULTS: In adjusted models: 1) total T levels declined with age until 80, whereas free T levels did not vary by age; 2) women with bilateral oophorectomy had 23\% lower total T and 16\% lower free T levels than those with at least one intact ovary; 3) oral estrogen users had total and free T levels that were 47\% lower than never users; 4) obese women had 47\% higher total T and 20\% higher free T levels, and overweight women had 24\% higher total T and 14\% higher free T levels, than normal weight women; and 5) free T levels were 51\% higher in black women. Corticosteroid users had 75\% lower total T and 43\% lower free T levels than nonusers.

CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral oophorectomy, estrogen use, corticosteroid use, and low body mass index are independent risk factors for lower T levels in women aged 65 yr and over. Although highly prevalent in women of this age, the physiological significance of low T levels in late postmenopausal women requires further investigation.

}, keywords = {Age Distribution, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Body Mass Index, Cross-Sectional Studies, Estrogen Replacement Therapy, Female, Humans, Hypogonadism, Multivariate Analysis, Nonlinear Dynamics, Obesity, Ovariectomy, Ovary, Postmenopause, Predictive Value of Tests, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Testosterone}, issn = {0021-972X}, doi = {10.1210/jc.2006-1399}, author = {Cappola, Anne R and Ratcliffe, Sarah J and Bhasin, Shalender and Blackman, Marc R and Cauley, Jane and Robbins, John and Zmuda, Joseph M and Harris, Tamara and Fried, Linda P} } @article {1263, title = {Health and function of participants in the Long Life Family Study: A comparison with other cohorts.}, journal = {Aging (Albany NY)}, volume = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Jan}, pages = {63-76}, abstract = {

Individuals from families recruited for the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) (n= 4559) were examined and compared to individuals from other cohorts to determine whether the recruitment targeting longevity resulted in a cohort of individuals with better health and function. Other cohorts with similar data included the Cardiovascular Health Study, the Framingham Heart Study, and the New England Centenarian Study. Diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and peripheral artery disease tended to be less common in LLFS probands and offspring compared to similar aged persons in the other cohorts. Pulse pressure and triglycerides were lower, high density lipids were higher, and a perceptual speed task and gait speed were better in LLFS. Age-specific comparisons showed differences that would be consistent with a higher peak, later onset of decline or slower rate of change across age in LLFS participants. These findings suggest several priority phenotypes for inclusion in future genetic analysis to identify loci contributing to exceptional survival.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cohort Studies, Female, Gait, Humans, Longevity, Male, Middle Aged, Psychomotor Performance, Research Design}, issn = {1945-4589}, doi = {10.18632/aging.100242}, author = {Newman, Anne B and Glynn, Nancy W and Taylor, Christopher A and Sebastiani, Paola and Perls, Thomas T and Mayeux, Richard and Christensen, Kaare and Zmuda, Joseph M and Barral, Sandra and Lee, Joseph H and Simonsick, Eleanor M and Walston, Jeremy D and Yashin, Anatoli I and Hadley, Evan} } @article {1266, title = {Higher serum free testosterone concentration in older women is associated with greater bone mineral density, lean body mass, and total fat mass: the cardiovascular health study.}, journal = {J Clin Endocrinol Metab}, volume = {96}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Apr}, pages = {989-96}, abstract = {

CONTEXT: The physiological importance of endogenous testosterone (T) in older women is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the association of higher total and free T levels with bone mineral density (BMD), lean body mass, and fat mass in elderly women.

DESIGN: Total and free T were measured using sensitive assays in 232 community-dwelling women aged 67-94 yr who were enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study and had dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to examine associations between total and free T and BMD and body composition.

RESULTS: In adjusted models, total T was directly associated with BMD at the lumbar spine (P = 0.04) and hip (P = 0.001), but not body composition outcomes, in all women, and after excluding estrogen users and adjusting for estradiol (P = 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). Free T was positively related to hip BMD, lean body mass, and body fat (all P < 0.05), with more than 10\% differences in each outcome between women at the highest and lowest ends of the free T range, with attenuation after excluding estrogen users and adjusting for estradiol.

CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of the low estradiol levels found in older women, circulating T levels were associated with bone density. Women with higher free T levels had greater lean body mass, consistent with the anabolic effect of T, and, in contrast to men, greater fat mass. Mechanistic studies are required to determine whether a causal relationship exists between T, bone, and body composition in this population and the degree to which any T effects are estrogen-independent.

}, keywords = {Adipose Tissue, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Mass Index, Bone Density, Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena, Cohort Studies, Female, Health, Humans, Organ Size, Osmolar Concentration, Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal, Testosterone, Thinness, Up-Regulation}, issn = {1945-7197}, doi = {10.1210/jc.2010-0926}, author = {Rariy, Chevon M and Ratcliffe, Sarah J and Weinstein, Rachel and Bhasin, Shalender and Blackman, Marc R and Cauley, Jane A and Robbins, John and Zmuda, Joseph M and Harris, Tamara B and Cappola, Anne R} } @article {8655, title = {Metabolites Associated with Walking Ability Among the Oldest Old from the CHS All Stars Study.}, journal = {J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci}, volume = {75}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 11 13}, pages = {2371-2378}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Low walking ability is highly prevalent with advancing age and predicts major health outcomes. Metabolomics may help to better characterize differences in walking ability among older adults, providing insight into potentially altered molecular processes underlying age-related decline in functioning. We sought to identify metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with high versus low walking ability among 120 participants ages 79-95 from the CHS All Stars study.

METHODS: Using a nested case-control design, 60 randomly selected participants with low walking ability were matched one-to-one on age, gender, race, and fasting time with 60 participants with high walking ability. High versus low walking ability was defined as being in the best versus worst tertiles for both gait speed (>=0.9 vs <0.7 m/s) and the Walking Ability Index (7-9 vs 0-1). Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, 569 metabolites were identified in overnight-fasting plasma.

RESULTS: Ninety-six metabolites were associated with walking ability, where 24\% were triacylglycerols. Triacylglycerols that were higher among those with high walking ability consisted mostly of polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas triacylglycerols that were lower among those with high walking ability consisted mostly of saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids. Body composition partly explained associations between some metabolites and walking ability. Proline and arginine metabolism was a top pathway associated with walking ability.

CONCLUSION: These results may partly reflect pathways of modifiable risk factors, including excess dietary lipids and lack of physical activity, contributing to obesity and further alterations in metabolic pathways that lead to age-related decline in walking ability in this older adult cohort.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Case-Control Studies, Female, Geriatric Assessment, Humans, Male, Metabolomics, Risk Factors, Walking, Walking Speed}, issn = {1758-535X}, doi = {10.1093/gerona/glaa030}, author = {Marron, Megan M and Wendell, Stacy G and Boudreau, Robert M and Clish, Clary B and Santanasto, Adam J and Tseng, George C and Zmuda, Joseph M and Newman, Anne B} }