Factors associated with longitudinal plasma selenium decline in the elderly: the EVA study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Selenium status is crucial for health, particularly in aging populations.
• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of mortality among the elderly in France.
• Selenium's potential cardioprotective effects warrant investigation in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and plasma selenium variability over nine years in an elderly cohort.
• To identify factors associated with the longitudinal decline of plasma selenium in aging individuals.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 751 participants (aged 59-71 at baseline) in the Etude du Vieillissement Artériel (EVA) study.
• Collected clinical data, lifestyle information, and plasma selenium levels at baseline and after 9 years.
• Employed multivariate linear regression models to analyze associations between selenium variability and risk factors.

Main Results:

• Age, obesity, and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease during follow-up were significantly associated with an increased decline in plasma selenium.
• Factors such as gender, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension showed no significant effect on selenium decline.
• Plasma selenium levels showed a longitudinal decline over the 9-year study period.

Conclusions:

• Obesity and the incidence of cardiovascular events are identified as key factors contributing to the age-related decline in plasma selenium.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the roles of nutritional status and metabolic changes in these associations.