BACKGROUND:several studies suggest that a decreased thyroid activity might be favourable in oldest-old subjects and that subclinical thyroid hyperfunction may be detrimental.OBJECTIVES:to verify whether declining levels of circulating thyroid hormones may contribute to longevity.DESIGN:cross-sectional observational study.SETTING:all subjects were born in Calabria (southern Italy) and their ancestry in the region was ascertained up to the grandparents.SUBJECTS:six hundred and four home-dwelling subjects (301 females, 303 males), divided into three groups: 278 individuals 60-85 years old; 179 children or nieces/nephews of centenarians who are 60-85 years old; 147 individuals older than 85 years.METHODS:thyroid function parameters were measured in the frame of a comprehensive geriatric assessment.RESULTS:FT3 and FT4 levels were negatively associated with age. Lower levels of FT3, FT4 and TSH were found in centenarians' children and nieces/nephews with respect to age-matched controls. Indeed, being a relative of centenarians qualified as an independent correlate of thyroid parameters.CONCLUSIONS:age-related subtle thyroid hypofunction (either due to a familial component or due to a reset of the thyroid function occurring between the sixth and the eighth decade of life) appears to be related to longevity.
A cross-section analysis of FT3 age-related changes in a group of old and oldest-old subjects, including centenarians' relatives, shows that a down-regulated thyroid function has a familial component and is related to longevity
Corsonello A;MONTESANTO, Alberto;DE RANGO, Francesco;DATO, Serena;PASSARINO, Giuseppe
2010-01-01
Abstract
BACKGROUND:several studies suggest that a decreased thyroid activity might be favourable in oldest-old subjects and that subclinical thyroid hyperfunction may be detrimental.OBJECTIVES:to verify whether declining levels of circulating thyroid hormones may contribute to longevity.DESIGN:cross-sectional observational study.SETTING:all subjects were born in Calabria (southern Italy) and their ancestry in the region was ascertained up to the grandparents.SUBJECTS:six hundred and four home-dwelling subjects (301 females, 303 males), divided into three groups: 278 individuals 60-85 years old; 179 children or nieces/nephews of centenarians who are 60-85 years old; 147 individuals older than 85 years.METHODS:thyroid function parameters were measured in the frame of a comprehensive geriatric assessment.RESULTS:FT3 and FT4 levels were negatively associated with age. Lower levels of FT3, FT4 and TSH were found in centenarians' children and nieces/nephews with respect to age-matched controls. Indeed, being a relative of centenarians qualified as an independent correlate of thyroid parameters.CONCLUSIONS:age-related subtle thyroid hypofunction (either due to a familial component or due to a reset of the thyroid function occurring between the sixth and the eighth decade of life) appears to be related to longevity.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
