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.
Original language | English |
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Article number | afq116 |
Pages (from-to) | 723-727 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Age and Ageing |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2010 |
Keywords
- Ageing
- Elderly
- Free-triiodothyronine
- Survival
- Thyroid
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ageing
- Geriatrics and Gerontology