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Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and their relationships with serum interleukin-6, in the geriatric syndrome of frailty

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research volume 16, pages 153–157 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Background and aims: The geriatric syndrome of frailty has been conceptualized as a loss of physiologic reserve associated with endocrine dysregulation and immune dysfunction. Our prior studies suggest that the frailty syndrome is associated with elevated serum IL-6 levels. In the present study, our aim is to evaluate the possible role of endocrine dysregulation and its relationship with serum IL-6 in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Methods: Using a recently validated screening algorithm for frailty, we identified 18 frail and 33 non-frail community-dwelling older adults for inclusion in this study. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), DHEA-S, and IL-6 were measured by im-munoassays. The inter-relationships among serum levels of IL-6, DHEA-S, and IGF-I were determined by linear regression analysis. Results: Age-adjusted serum levels of IGF-I (88±49 vs 122±47 [ng/mL], p<0.023) and DHEA-S (0.30±0.21 vs 0.53±0.25 [ug/mL], p=0.016) were significantly lower in frail vs non-frail individuals, respectively. There was a trend for IL-6 to be inversely correlated with IGF-1 in the frail (r= −0.42; p=0.082) but not the non-frail group (r=0.12, p=0.521). Conclusions: Frail subjects have lower levels of serum IGF-I and DHEA-S and higher levels of IL-6 than do non-frail, age-matched individuals. The trend toward an inverse correlation between IGF-I and IL-6 in the frail, but not the non-frail group, suggests potential interaction between endocrine and immune/cytokine dysregulation that requires further study in larger cohorts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, Hopkins Bayview Circle, Rm 5A.24, 5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, USA

    Sean X. Leng, Ross E. Andersen, Kathleen Koenig, Michael Blair & Jeremy D. Walston MD

  2. Department of Medicine and Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

    Anne R. Cappola

  3. Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Marc R. Blackman

Authors
  1. Sean X. Leng
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  2. Anne R. Cappola
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  3. Ross E. Andersen
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  4. Marc R. Blackman
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  5. Kathleen Koenig
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  6. Michael Blair
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  7. Jeremy D. Walston MD
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Correspondence to Jeremy D. Walston MD.

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Leng, S.X., Cappola, A.R., Andersen, R.E. et al. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and their relationships with serum interleukin-6, in the geriatric syndrome of frailty. Aging Clin Exp Res 16, 153–157 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324545

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324545

Keywords

  • IGF-I
  • DHEA-S
  • IL-6
  • endocrine correlates of frailty
  • geriatric syndrome
  • primary frailty