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Low total plasma carotenoids are independent predictors of mortality among older persons

The InCHIANTI study

  • ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
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Abstract

Background

Plasma carotenoids are considered a valid biological marker for fruit and vegetable dietary intake. Recent studies show that low carotenoid levels are associated with a high risk of inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Aim of the study

To determine whether low plasma carotenoids are associated with increased mortality among older adults.

Methods

Longitudinal study among 1,043 adults, 65 years and older, in the InCHIANTI study, a population-based cohort of adults living in the community in the Tuscany region, Italy.

Results

Mean total carotenoid concentration was 1.80 µmol/l. During eight years of follow-up, 310 (29.7%) of participants died. Eight-year survival was lower in the lowest compared with the highest tertile of total serum carotenoids (P < 0.0001 by Mantel-Haenszel chi-square). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, education, smoking, body mass index, energy intake, and chronic diseases, adults in the highest tertile of plasma carotenoids at enrollment had lower mortality compared to those in the lowest tertile (Hazards Ratio obtained by considering carotenoids level as an ordinal variable 0.81, 95%; CI 0.65–0.99; P for trend = 0.046).

Conclusions

Low plasma carotenoids are an independent risk factor for mortality among older adults living in the community.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Institute on Aging Contracts N01-AG-916413, N01-AG-821336, N01-AG-5–0002, and NIA Grant R01 AG027012. This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tuscany Regional Agency, Florence, Italy

    Fulvio Lauretani MD, Anna Maria Corsi & Eva Buiatti

  2. Geriatric Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy

    Fulvio Lauretani MD

  3. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Richard D. Semba & Margaret Dayhoff-Brannigan

  4. Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy

    Angelo Di Iorio

  5. Azienda Sanitaria Firenze, Florence, Italy

    Stefania Bandinelli

  6. Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Jack M. Guralnik

  7. Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Luigi Ferrucci

Authors
  1. Fulvio Lauretani MD
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  2. Richard D. Semba
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  3. Margaret Dayhoff-Brannigan
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  4. Anna Maria Corsi
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  5. Angelo Di Iorio
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  7. Stefania Bandinelli
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  9. Luigi Ferrucci
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Correspondence to Fulvio Lauretani MD.

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Lauretani, F., Semba, R.D., Dayhoff-Brannigan, M. et al. Low total plasma carotenoids are independent predictors of mortality among older persons. Eur J Nutr 47, 335–340 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-008-0732-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-008-0732-9

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