03011nas a2200421 4500008004100000022001400041245007000055210006600125260001600191300001200207490000800219520184900227653000902076653002202085653001002107653002302117653002802140653001102168653001802179653001102197653002502208653000902233653002002242653002402262653001702286100002002303700002102323700002402344700002002368700002202388700001802410700002102428700001902449700002002468700001902488710004702507856003502554 2003 eng d a0003-992600a"Successful aging": effect of subclinical cardiovascular disease.0 aSuccessful aging effect of subclinical cardiovascular disease c2003 Oct 27 a2315-220 v1633 a
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of death in older adults. Among those without clinical disease, high levels of subclinical disease are associated with poor survival. The effect of the extent of subclinical cardiovascular disease on the quality of the remaining years has not been defined.
METHODS: In a longitudinal cohort study, 2932 men and women aged 65 years and older were followed up for 8 years to determine the likelihood of maintaining intact health and functioning. Successful aging was defined as remaining free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and with intact physical and cognitive functioning.
RESULTS: Younger age at study entry and a lower extent of subclinical cardiovascular disease were independently associated with the likelihood of maintaining successful aging. In age-stratified summaries, those with subclinical disease had a trajectory of decline similar to subjects 5 years older without subclinical vascular disease. Regression analyses showed that the decline associated with subclinical disease was equivalent to 6.5 (95% confidence interval, 6.4-6.6) years of aging for women and 5.6 (95% confidence interval, 5.4-5.8) years of aging for men. Individual measures of the extent of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and higher C-reactive protein level were also independently predictive of fewer years of successful aging, but none of these factors substantially attenuated the effect of age itself.
CONCLUSIONS: There is a graded relationship between the extent of vascular disease measured noninvasively and the likelihood of maintaining intact health and function. Prevention of subclinical vascular disease may increase the quality and the quantity of years in late life.
10aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aAging10aC-Reactive Protein10aCardiovascular Diseases10aFemale10aHealth Status10aHumans10aLongitudinal Studies10aMale10aQuality of Life10aRegression Analysis10aRisk Factors1 aNewman, Anne, B1 aArnold, Alice, M1 aNaydeck, Barbara, L1 aFried, Linda, P1 aBurke, Gregory, L1 aEnright, Paul1 aGottdiener, John1 aHirsch, Calvin1 aO'Leary, Daniel1 aTracy, Russell1 aCardiovascular Health Study Research Group uhttps://chs-nhlbi.org/node/757