BACKGROUND Upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines has not only been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in older adults but also has been linked to frailty. In the current study we aimed to compare the relative relationship of age and frailty on inflammation and thrombosis in older veterans. RESULTS We analyzed 117 subjects (age range 62-95 years; median 81) divided into 3 cohorts: non-frail, pre-frail and frail based on the Fried phenotype of frailty. Serum inflammatory markers were determined using commercially available ELISA kits. Frail and pre-frail (PF) subjects had higher levels than non-frail (NF) subjects of IL-6 (NF vs. PF: p = 0.002; NF vs. F: p < 0.001), TNFR1 (NF vs. F: p = 0.012), TNFRII (NF vs. F: 0.002; NF vs. PF: p = 0.005) and inflammatory index: = 0.333*log(IL-6) + 0.666*log(sTNFR1) (NF vs. F: p = 0.009; NF vs. PF: p < 0.001). Frailty status explained a greater percent of variability in markers of inflammation than age: IL-6 (12 % vs. 0.3 %), TNFR1 (5 % vs. 4 %), TNFR2 (11 % vs. 6 %), inflammatory index (16 % vs. 8 %). Aging was significantly associated with higher fibrinogen (p = 0.04) and D-dimer levels (p = 0.01) but only among NF subjects. CONCLUSION In conclusion, these data suggest that among older veterans, frailty status has a stronger association with inflammation and the inflammatory index than age does. Larger studies, in more diverse populations are needed to confirm these findings.

中文翻译：

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对于老年退伍军人来说，虚弱与炎症的关系比年龄更密切。

背景促炎细胞因子的上调不仅与老年人发病率和死亡率增加有关，而且还与虚弱有关。在当前的研究中，我们的目的是比较年龄和虚弱与老年退伍军人炎症和血栓形成的相对关系。结果 我们分析了 117 名受试者（年龄范围 62-95 岁；中位数 81），根据 Fried 衰弱表型将其分为 3 组：非衰弱组、衰弱前组和衰弱组。使用市售的 ELISA 试剂盒测定血清炎症标志物。虚弱和虚弱前 (PF) 受试者的 IL-6 水平高于非虚弱 (NF) 受试者（NF 与 PF：p = 0.002；NF 与 F：p < 0.001）、TNFR1（NF 与 F ：p = 0.012）、TNFRII（NF 与 F：0.002；NF 与 PF：p = 0.005）和炎症指数：= 0.333*log(IL-6) + 0.666*log(sTNFR1)（NF 与 F： p = 0.009；NF 与 PF：p < 0.001）。虚弱状态比年龄更能解释炎症标志物的变异性：IL-6（12% vs. 0.3%）、TNFR1（5% vs. 4%）、TNFR2（11% vs. 6%）、炎症指数（ 16% 与 8%）。衰老与较高的纤维蛋白原 (p = 0.04) 和 D-二聚体水平 (p = 0.01) 显着相关，但仅限于 NF 受试者。结论 总之，这些数据表明，在老年退伍军人中，虚弱状态与炎症和炎症指数的相关性比年龄更强。需要在更多样化的人群中进行更大规模的研究来证实这些发现。