Rocca, Walter A.

AbstractA robust and heterogenous secretory phenotype is a core feature of most senescent cells. In addition to mediators of age‐related pathology, components of the senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP) have been studied as biomarkers of senescent cell burden and, in turn, biological age. Therefore, we hypothesized that circulating concentrations of candidate senescence biomarkers, including chemokines, cytokines, matrix remodeling proteins, and growth factors, could predict mortality in older adults. We assessed associations between plasma levels of 28 SASP proteins and risk of mortality over a median follow‐up of 6.3 years in 1923 patients 65 years of age or older with zero or one chronic condition at baseline. Overall, the five senescence biomarkers most strongly associated with an increased risk of death were GDF15, RAGE, VEGFA, PARC, and MMP2, after adjusting for age, sex, race, and the presence of one chronic condition. The combination of biomarkers and clinical and demographic covariates exhibited a significantly higher c‐statistic for risk of death (0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76–0.82) than the covariates alone (0.70, CI: 0.67–0.74) (p < 0.001). Collectively, these findings lend further support to biomarkers of cellular senescence as informative predictors of clinically important health outcomes in older adults, including death.

Abstract Objective Adrenal adenomas are commonly encountered in clinical practice. To date, population-based data on their impact on cognition, mental health, and sleep are lacking. We aimed to study possible associations between adrenal adenomas and dementia, psychiatric or sleep disorders. Design Population-based cohort study, Olmsted County, MN, 1995-2017. Methods Patients with adrenal adenoma and absent overt hormone excess were age- and sex-matched 1:1 to a referent person without adrenal adenoma. Outcomes were baseline and incident diagnoses of dementia, psychiatric or sleep disorders, assessed using ICD codes. Results Of 1004 patients with adrenal adenomas, 582 (58%) were women, and median age at diagnosis was 63 years. At baseline, and after adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, and tobacco use, patients with adenoma had higher odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 1.3, 95% CI, 1.1-1.6), anxiety (aOR: 1.4, 95% CI, 1.1-1.8), and substance abuse (aOR: 2.4, 95% CI, 1.7-3.4) compared to referents. During a median follow-up of 6.8 years, and after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, BMI, tobacco, and substance abuse, patients demonstrated a higher risk of psychiatric and sleep disorders [adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI)]: depression [1.7 (1.3-2.2)], anxiety [1.4, CI (1.1-1.7)], insomnia [1.4 (1.0-1.9)], sleep-related breathing disorders [1.5 (1.1-1.9)], hypersomnias [2.1 (1.0-4.2)], parasomnias [2.1 (1.0-4.2)], and sleep-related movement disorders [1.5 (1.0-2.1)], but not dementia. Conclusions Patients with adenomas demonstrate a higher incidence of psychiatric and sleep disorders, possibly due to the underlying subtle increase in cortisol secretion.

Abstract Objective We examined the long-term effects of premenopausal bilateral oophorectomy (PBO) with or without concurrent or preceding hysterectomy on physical and cognitive function and on odds of chronic conditions. Methods We enrolled 274 women with PBO with or without concurrent or preceding hysterectomy and 240 referents aged 55 years and older who were residents of Olmsted County, MN as of the PBO or index date. Chronic conditions were assessed via medical record abstraction. Cognitive diagnoses were based on neurocognitive testing. A physical function assessment included measures of strength and mobility. Multivariable regression models compared characteristics for women with PBO <46 years, PBO 46–49 years, and referent women with adjustments for age and other confounders. Results The clinical visits (median age, 67 years) were a median of 22 years after the PBO or index date. Of 274 women with PBO, 161 (59%) were <46 years at PBO and 113 (41%) were 46–49 years. Compared with referents, women with a history of PBO <46 years had increased odds of arthritis (odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–2.55), asthma (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.03–2.93), obstructive sleep apnea (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.23–3.26), and bone fractures (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.17–6.98), and walked a shorter mean distance on a 6-minute walk test ( b = −18.43; P = 0.034). Compared with referents, women with a history of PBO at age 46–49 years had increased odds of arthritis (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.16–3.18) and obstructive sleep apnea (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.33–3.66). There were no significant differences in cognitive status in women with PBO compared with referents. Conclusions Women with a history of PBO with or without concurrent or preceding hysterectomy, especially at age <46 years, have more chronic conditions in late mid-life compared with referents.

AbstractINTRODUCTIONFew studies have comprehensively examined the impact of reproductive factors (i.e., reproductive window, parity, hormonal contraception [HC], and menopausal hormone therapy [MHT]) on global and domain‐specific cognition in later life.METHODSWe studied a population‐based sample of 2458 women (median age 74.2 years) residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota; participants underwent a clinical evaluation and comprehensive cognitive testing.RESULTSThe length of a woman's reproductive window was not associated with cognition. Higher parity was associated with greater cognitive decline in all domains. Ever HC use was associated with less decline in all domains. Ever MHT use was associated with greater decline in global cognition and all domain‐specific z‐scores except visuospatial; results were driven by women who initiated MHT 5 or more years after menopause. Additional adjustments for APOE and vascular‐related covariates did not attenuate the results.DISCUSSIONMultiple reproductive risk factors are associated with cognitive decline in later life.Highlights The length of a woman's reproductive window was not associated with cognition longitudinally. Greater parity was associated with greater cognitive decline longitudinally. Ever HC use was associated with less decline in global cognition and all domain‐specific z‐scores longitudinally (all p < 0.01). Ever MHT use was associated with greater decline in global cognition and all domain‐specific z‐scores except visuospatial longitudinally (all p < 0.01). The greatest cognitive decline was among women who initiated MHT more than 5 years after menopause.

Objective Ceramides have been associated with several ageing-related conditions but have not been studied as a general biomarker of multimorbidity (MM). Therefore, we determined whether ceramide levels are associated with the rapid development of MM. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Mayo Clinic Biobank. Participants 1809 persons in the Mayo Clinic Biobank ≥65 years without MM at the time of enrolment, and with ceramide levels assayed from stored plasma. Primary outcome measure Persons were followed for a median of 5.7 years through their medical records to identify new diagnoses of 20 chronic conditions. The number of new conditions was divided by the person-years of follow-up to calculate the rate of accumulation of new chronic conditions. Results Higher levels of C18:0 and C20:0 were associated with a more rapid rate of accumulation of chronic conditions (C18:0 z score RR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.53; C20:0 z score RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.49). Higher C18:0 and C20:0 levels were also associated with an increased risk of hypertension and coronary artery disease. Conclusions C18:0 and C20:0 were associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic conditions. When combined with biomarkers specific to other diseases of ageing, these ceramides may be a useful component of a biomarker panel for predicting accelerated ageing.