scholarly journals Do epigenetic clocks provide explanations for sex differences in lifespan? A cross-sectional twin study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kankaanpää ◽  
Asko Tolvanen ◽  
Pirkko Saikkonen ◽  
Aino Heikkinen ◽  
Eija K. Laakkonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Path Modelling ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽  
The Difference

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe sex gap in life expectancy has been narrowing in Finland over the past four to five decades; however, on average, women still live longer than men. Epigenetic clocks are markers for biological aging that predict lifespan. In this study, we examined the mediating role of lifestyle factors on the association between sex and biological aging in younger and older adults.MethodsOur sample included same-sex younger and older twins (21-42-y, n = 1110; 50-76-y, n = 763) and younger opposite-sex twins (21-30-y, n = 302). Blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) was used to compute epigenetic age acceleration by four epigenetic clocks as a measure of biological aging. Path modelling was used to study whether the association between sex and biological aging is mediated through lifestyle-related factors, i.e. education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity.FindingsIn comparison to women, men were biologically older and, in general, they had unhealthier life habits. The effect of sex on biological aging was partly mediated by smoking, but only in older twins. Sex was directly associated with biological aging and the association was stronger in older twins.InterpretationPreviously reported sex differences in lifespan are also evident in biological aging. Declining smoking prevalence among men is a plausible explanation for the narrowing of the difference in life expectancy between the sexes. Data generated by the epigenetic clocks may help in estimating the effects of lifestyle and environmental factors on aging and in predicting aging in future generations.

scholarly journals Do epigenetic clocks provide explanations for sex differences in lifespan? A cross-sectional twin study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kankaanpää ◽  
Asko Tolvanen ◽  
Pirkko Saikkonen ◽  
Aino Heikkinen ◽  
Eija K Laakkonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Path Modelling ◽  
The Difference

Abstract Background The sex gap in life expectancy has been narrowing in Finland over the past four to five decades; however, on average, women still live longer than men. Epigenetic clocks are markers for biological aging that predict lifespan. In this study, we examined the mediating role of lifestyle factors on the association between sex and biological aging in younger and older adults. Methods Our sample consists of younger and older twins (21‒42-y, n = 1477; 50‒76-y, n = 763) including 151 complete younger opposite-sex twin pairs (21‒30-y). Blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) was used to compute epigenetic age acceleration by four epigenetic clocks as a measure of biological aging. Path modelling was used to study whether the association between sex and biological aging is mediated through lifestyle-related factors, i.e. education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity. Results In comparison to women, men were biologically older and, in general, they had unhealthier life habits. The effect of sex on biological aging was partly mediated by body mass index and, in older twins, by smoking. Sex was directly associated with biological aging and the association was stronger in older twins. Conclusions Previously reported sex differences in lifespan are also evident in biological aging. Declining smoking prevalence among men is a plausible explanation for the narrowing of the difference in life expectancy between the sexes. Data generated by the epigenetic clocks may help in estimating the effects of lifestyle and environmental factors on aging and in predicting aging in future generations.

scholarly journals Epigenetic Clocks and Allostatic Load Reveal Potential Sex-Specific Drivers of Biological Aging

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathal McCrory ◽  
Giovanni Fiorito ◽  
Sinead McLoughlin ◽  
Silvia Polidoro ◽  
Cliona Ni Cheallaigh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Allostatic Load ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Metabolic Dysregulation ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽  
Dna Methylation Age

Abstract Allostatic load (AL) and epigenetic clocks both attempt to characterize the accelerated aging of biological systems, but at present it is unclear whether these measures are complementary or distinct. This study examines the cross-sectional association of AL with epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in a subsample of 490 community-dwelling older adults participating in The Irish Longitudinal study on Aging (TILDA). A battery of 14 biomarkers representing the activity of four different physiological systems: immunological, cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, was used to construct the AL score. DNA methylation age was computed according to the algorithms described by Horvath, Hannum, and Levine allowing for estimation of whether an individual is experiencing accelerated or decelerated aging. Horvath, Hannum, and Levine EAA correlated 0.05, 0.03, and 0.21 with AL, respectively. Disaggregation by sex revealed that AL was more strongly associated with EAA in men compared with women as assessed using Horvath’s clock. Metabolic dysregulation was a strong driver of EAA in men as assessed using Horvath and Levine’s clock, while metabolic and cardiovascular dysregulation were associated with EAA in women using Levine’s clock. Results indicate that AL and the epigenetic clocks are measuring different age-related variance and implicate sex-specific drivers of biological aging.

scholarly journals Association of cardiovascular health and epigenetic age acceleration

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess D. Pottinger ◽  
Sadiya S. Khan ◽  
Yinan Zheng ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Hilary A. Tindle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Heart Association ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽  
Linear Regression Modeling

Abstract Background Cardiovascular health (CVH) has been defined by the American Heart Association (AHA) as the presence of the “Life’s Simple 7” ideal lifestyle and clinical factors. CVH is known to predict longevity and freedom from cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for women in the United States. DNA methylation markers of aging have been aggregated into a composite epigenetic age score, which is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, it is unknown whether poor CVH is associated with acceleration of aging as measured by DNA methylation markers in epigenetic age. Methods and results We performed a cross-sectional analysis of racially/ethnically diverse post-menopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative cohort recruited between 1993 and 1998. Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) was calculated using DNA methylation data on a subset of participants and the published Horvath and Hannum methods for intrinsic and extrinsic EAA. CVH was calculated using the AHA measures of CVH contributing to a 7-point score. We examined the association between CVH score and EAA using linear regression modeling adjusting for self-reported race/ethnicity and education. Among the 2,170 participants analyzed, 50% were white and mean age was 64 (7 SD) years. Higher or more favorable CVH scores were associated with lower extrinsic EAA (~ 6 months younger age per 1 point higher CVH score, p < 0.0001), and lower intrinsic EAA (3 months younger age per 1 point higher CVH score, p < 0.028). Conclusions These cross-sectional observations suggest a possible mechanism by which ideal CVH is associated with greater longevity.

A VARIED PATTERN OF CHANGE OF THE SEX DIFFERENTIAL IN SURVIVAL IN THE G7 COUNTRIES

2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANK TROVATO ◽  
NILS B. HEYEN
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Circulatory Disease ◽  
G7 Countries ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Life Expectancy At Birth ◽  
The Difference

Over the course of the 20th century the sex differential in life expectancy at birth in the industrialized countries has widened considerably in favour of women. Starting in the early 1970s, the beginning of a reversal in the long-term pattern of this differential has been noted in some high-income countries. This study documents a sustained pattern of narrowing of this measure into the later part of the 1990s for six of the populations that comprise the G7 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, England and Wales (as representative of the United Kingdom) and USA. For Japan, a persistence of widening sex differences in survival is noted. The sex differences in life expectancy are decomposed over roughly three decades (early 1970s to late 1990s) from the point of view of four major cause-of-death categories: circulatory diseases, cancers, accidents/violence/suicide, and ‘other’ (residual) causes. In the six countries where the sex gap has narrowed, this has resulted primarily from reduced sex differences in circulatory disease mortality, and secondarily from reduced differences in male and female death rates due to accidents, violence and suicide combined. In some of the countries sex differentials in cancer mortality have been converging lately, and this has also contributed to a narrowing of the difference in life expectancy. In Japan, males have been less successful in reducing their survival disadvantage in relation to Japanese women with regard to circulatory disease and cancer; and in the case of accidents/violence/suicide, male death rates increased during the 1990s. These trends explain the divergent pattern of the sex difference in life expectation in Japan as compared with the other G7 nations.

scholarly journals Twenty-year time trends in hypertension prevalence in Yi people of China: three successive cross-sectional studies, 1996–2015

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. e022714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Zhang ◽  
Shaoping Wan ◽  
Biao Zhang ◽  
Fen Dong ◽  
Li Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hypertension Prevalence ◽  
The Past ◽  
Female Farmers ◽  
The Difference

ObjectiveTo explore the trend of hypertension prevalence and related factors in Yi people from 1996 to 2015.MethodsThree successive cross-sectional surveys were conducted in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in 1996, 2007 and 2015, respectively. A total of 8448 participants aged 20–80 years (5040 Yi farmers, 3408 Yi migrants) were included in final analysis.ResultsOverall, the age-standardised prevalence of hypertension in migrants was significantly higher than in farmers. Furthermore, the age-standardised prevalence rates increased from 10.1% to 15.3% to 19.6% in Yi migrants and from 4.0% to 6.3% to 13.1% in Yi farmers during 1996 to 2007 to 2015. The highest 2015-to-1996 ratio of age-standardised hypertension prevalence was in male farmers (ratio=4.30), whereas despite the highest prevalence of hypertension, the equivalent figure in male migrants was 1.57. The older age, overweight and obesity were persistent risk factors of hypertension in three periods. After adjusted for age and body mass index, the difference of hypertension prevalence between 1996 and 2015 then vanished in male migrants (OR=1.335; 95% CI: 0.884 to 2.015) and female farmers (OR=1.267; 95% CI: 0.590 to 2.719). The disparities of hypertension prevalence between Yi migrants and farmers were not statistically significant in all subgroups when adjusted for age, body mass index and education.ConclusionsOver the past two decades, the hypertension prevalence in Yi people has significantly increased. Yi migrants were more likely to be hypertensive than Yi farmers which was predominantly driven by the discrepancy of body mass index between them.

scholarly journals Prevalence of cigarette smoking in schizophrenic patients compared to other hospital admitted psychiatric patients

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1417-1417
Author(s):  
A. Kheradmand ◽  
H. Ziaaddini ◽  
M. Vahabi
Keyword(s):  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Other Substances ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
The Difference

Introduction & aimsEstimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking and some of the related factors among schizophrenic and other hospitalized psychiatric patients.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study on 120 patients hospitalized in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kerman in 2005. Patients were equally devided in two groups of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Sampling was based on statistical census and data were collected using a questionnaire including 27 questions on demographic data, psychiatric disorder, smoking cigarettes and other substances, and Fagerstrom test. Data were analyzed by Chi-square and ANOVA tests using SPSS software.ResultsPrevalence and severity of cigarette smoking was 71.6% and 6.47% among schizophrenic and 51.6% and 6.40% among other psychiatric patients, respectively and the difference was not significant. History of withdrawal was 25.6% and 58.1% in the schizophrenia and other disorders respectively and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). Addiction to other substances was 51.6% in schizophrenic and 45% in the other patients and the most prevalent substances in both groups were opium and alcohol. The severity of smoking cigarettes was 6.9 along with other drug abuses and 5.1 in cases with just smoking based on Fagerstrom test and the difference was significant (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe prevalence of cigarette smoking in both schizophrenia and other psychiatric patients is higher than normal population, but there is no significant difference between these two groups. Schizophrenic patients need persistent supportive and supervising programs for cigarette smoking abuse treatment because of their cognitive, motivate and social problems.

scholarly journals Are sex differences in cognitive impairment reflected in epigenetic age acceleration metrics?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy M. Inkster ◽  
Paula Duarte-Guterman ◽  
Arianne Y. Albert ◽  
Cindy K. Barha ◽  
Liisa A.M. Galea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration

scholarly journals Epigenetic age acceleration and metabolic syndrome in the coronary artery risk development in young adults study

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew R. Nannini ◽  
Brian T. Joyce ◽  
Yinan Zheng ◽  
Tao Gao ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Severity Score ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Metabolic Disturbances ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Epigenetic Biomarkers ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration

Abstract Background The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a collection of metabolic disturbances that can lead to various cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have shown a more adverse metabolic risk profile is associated with more advanced biological aging. The associations between epigenetic biomarkers of age with MetS, however, are not well understood. We therefore investigated the associations between epigenetic age acceleration and MetS severity score and incident MetS. Results A subset of study participants with available whole blood at examination years 15 and 20 from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study underwent epigenomic profiling using the Illumina MethylationEPIC Beadchip (~ 850,000 sites). Intrinsic and extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA and EEAA) were calculated from DNA methylation levels. The MetS severity score was positively associated with IEAA at years 15 (P = 0.016) and 20 (P = 0.016) and EEAA at year 20 (P = 0.040) in cross-sectional analysis. IEAA at year 20 was significantly associated with incident MetS at year 30 (OR = 1.05 [95% CI 1.01, 1.10], P = 0.028). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of the longitudinal association between epigenetic age acceleration and MetS. These findings suggest that a higher MetS severity score is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging and such aging may play a role in the development of metabolic disorders, potentially serving as a useful biomarker of and early detection tool for future MetS.

scholarly journals A publicly well-accepted measure versus an academically desirable measure of health inequality: cross-sectional comparison of the difference between income quintiles with the slope index of inequality

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e028687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Ho Khang ◽  
Dohee Lim ◽  
Jinwook Bahk ◽  
Ikhan Kim ◽  
Hee-Yeon Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Health Inequality ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Income Quintile ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Index Of Inequality ◽  
The Difference

ObjectivesThe difference between income quintiles in health is relatively well accepted by the general public as a measure of health inequality. However, the slope index of inequality (SII) in health reflects the patterns of all social groups, including the middle 60%, and it could therefore be considered more academically desirable. If these two measures are closely correlated, the widespread use of the difference between income quintiles in health would be better supported. This study was conducted to compare differences between income quintiles in life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HLE) with the SII.DesignCross-sectional comparison using correlational analysis of district level income differences in LE and HLE with associated SII.SettingAll 252 subnational districts of Korea.ParticipantsA total of 342 439 895 subjects (171 287 729 men, 171 152 166 women) and 1 753 476 deaths (970 928 men, 782 548 women) between 2008 and 2014 were analysed.Primary and secondary outcome measuresDifference in LE and HLE by income quintile and associated SII.ResultsThe Pearson correlation coefficients between differences between income quintiles and the SII were generally high: 0.97 (95% CI 0.96 to 0.98) for LE in men and women combined and 0.96 (95% CI 0.94 to 0.97) for HLE in men and women combined. In most districts, the SII was greater than the difference between income quintiles.ConclusionDifferences between income quintiles were closely correlated with the SII. The widespread use of differences between income quintiles in health as a measure of health inequality may be preferable for communicating results of health inequality measurements to the public.

Epigenetic Age Acceleration and Change in Frailty in MOBILIZE Boston

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Seligman ◽  
Sarah D Berry ◽  
Lewis A Lipsitz ◽  
Thomas G Travison ◽  
Douglas P Kiel
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Frailty Index ◽  
450K Array ◽  
Frailty Phenotype ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽  
Frailty Score

Abstract Age-associated changes in DNA methylation have been implicated as one mechanism to explain the development of frailty, however previous cross-sectional studies of epigenetic age acceleration (eAA) and frailty have had inconsistent findings. Few longitudinal studies have considered the association of eAA with change in frailty. We sought to determine the association between eAA and change in frailty in the MOBILIZE Boston cohort. Participants were assessed at two visits 12-18 months apart. Intrinsic, extrinsic, GrimAge, and PhenoAge eAA were assessed from whole blood DNA methylation at baseline using the Infinium 450k array. Frailty was assessed by a continuous frailty score based on the frailty phenotype and by frailty index (FI). Analysis was by correlation and linear regression with adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, and BMI. 395 participants with a frailty score and 431 with a FI had epigenetic and follow-up frailty measures. For the frailty score and FI cohorts, respectively, mean (SD) ages were 77.8 (5.49) and 77.9 (5.47), 232 (58.7%) and 257 (59.6%) were female. All participants with epigenetic data identified as white. Baseline frailty score was not correlated with intrinsic or extrinsic eAA, but was correlated with PhenoAge and, even after adjustment for covariates, GrimAge. Baseline FI was correlated with extrinsic, GrimAge, and PhenoAge eAA with and without adjustment. No eAA measure was associated with change in frailty, with or without adjustment. Our results suggest that no eAA measure was associated with change in frailty. Further studies should consider longer periods of follow-up and repeated eAA measurement.

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