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American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published online on November 23, 2005
American Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/aje/kwj007
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American Journal of Epidemiology Copyright © 2005 by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health All rights reserved; printed in U.S.A.
Received March 11, 2005
Accepted July 19, 2005

ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Serum Antioxidants, Inflammation, and Total Mortality in Older Women

J. Walston 1 *, Q. Xue 1, R. D. Semba 1, L. Ferrucci 2, A. R. Cappola 3, M. Ricks 1, J. Guralnik 1, and L. P. Fried 1

1 School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
2 National Institute of Aging, Baltimore, MD
3 School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Walston, E-mail: jwalston{at}jhmi.edu


  Abstract

The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been linked to poor health outcomes in older adults. Oxidative stress triggers the production of IL-6, and antioxidant micronutrients play a critical role in decreasing this inflammatory response. The authors sought to identify the relations between serum levels of antioxidant nutrients and IL-6 and mortality in older women. Levels of {alpha}- and {beta}-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, {alpha}-cryptoxanthin, total carotenoids, retinol, {alpha}-tocopherol, zinc, and selenium were measured at baseline in 619 participants in Women's Health and Aging Study I (Baltimore, Maryland, 1992-1998). IL-6 was measured at baseline and at follow-up 1 and 2 years later, and all-cause mortality was determined over a 5-year period. Participants with the highest serum levels of {alpha}-carotene, total carotenoids, and selenium were significantly less likely to be in the highest tertile of serum IL-6 at baseline (p < 0.0001). Those with the lowest levels of {alpha}- and {beta}-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and total carotenoids were significantly more likely to have increasing IL-6 levels over a period of 2 years. Those with the lowest selenium levels had a significantly higher risk of total mortality over a period of 5 years (hazard ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.03, 2.32). These findings suggest that specific antioxidant nutrients may play an important role in suppressing IL-6 levels in disabled older women.

Keywords: aging; antioxidants; carotenoids; inflammation; interleukin-6; mortality; selenium.
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