Blood biomarker profiles and exceptional longevity: comparison of centenarians and non-centenarians in a 35-year follow-up of the Swedish AMORIS cohort

Abstract

Comparing biomarker profiles measured at similar ages, but earlier in life, among exceptionally long-lived individuals and their shorter-lived peers can improve our understanding of aging processes. This study aimed to (i) describe and compare biomarker profiles at similar ages between 64 and 99 among individuals eventually becoming centenarians and their shorter-lived peers, (ii) investigate the association between specific biomarker values and the chance of reaching age 100, and (iii) examine to what extent centenarians have homogenous biomarker profiles earlier in life. Participants in the population-based AMORIS cohort with information on blood-based biomarkers measured during 1985-1996 were followed in Swedish register data for up to 35 years. We examined biomarkers of metabolism, inflammation, liver, renal, anemia, and nutritional status using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and cluster analysis. In total, 1224 participants (84.6% females) lived to their 100th birthday. Higher levels of total cholesterol and iron and lower levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and total iron-binding capacity were associated with reaching 100 years. Centenarians overall displayed rather homogenous biomarker profiles. Already from age 65 and onwards, centenarians displayed more favorable biomarker values in commonly available biomarkers than individuals dying before age 100. The differences in biomarker values between centenarians and non-centenarians more than one decade prior death suggest that genetic and/or possibly modifiable lifestyle factors reflected in these biomarker levels may play an important role for exceptional longevity.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Centenarians; Homogeneity; Longevity.

Fig. 1

Quantiles (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) of biomarkers for centenarians and non-centenarians. Green areas show each biomarker’s normal range based on commonly used clinical thresholds (see supplemental table 1 for further details). Multiple imputed data were used and 44,636 participants were included. TC, total cholesterol; ALAT, alanine aminotransferase; ASAT, aspartate aminotransferase; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; TIBC, total iron-binding capacity

Fig. 2

Association between biomarker quintiles and becoming a centenarian estimated with logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and CCI. Biomarker quintiles are here based on the respective biomarker distribution for all individuals combined (both centenarians and non-centenarians). Multiple imputed data were used and 44,636 participants were included. TC, total cholesterol; ALAT, alanine aminotransferase; ASAT, aspartate aminotransferase; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; TIBC, total iron-binding capacity; LD, lactate dehydrogenase; CCI, Charlson Comorbidity Index; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval

Fig. 3

Quantiles (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) of biomarkers included in the cluster analysis for centenarian clusters and non-centenarians. Green areas show each biomarker’s normal range based on commonly-used clinical thresholds (see supplemental table 1 for further details). Multiple imputed data were used and 44,636 participants were included. TC, total cholesterol; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; TIBC, total iron-binding capacity