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Do Centenarians Die Healthier than Younger Elders? A Comparative Epidemiological Study in Spain
Mercedes Clerencia-Sierra1,2, Ignatios Ioakeim-Skoufa3, Beatriz Poblador-Plou2,4
1Aragon Health Service (SALUD); EpiChron Research Group, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|May 28, 2020
Summary
Centenarians, those aged 100+, often experience less illness and healthcare use compared to younger elderly individuals. Sex differences in health become less pronounced with extreme aging.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Epidemiology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Understanding the health trajectories of the oldest old is crucial for public health.
- Centenarians represent a unique demographic with potentially distinct health profiles.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the clinical course and healthcare utilization of centenarians compared to younger elderly populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical course, drug use, and healthcare services utilization in the final year of life for centenarians.
- To identify factors differentiating centenarians from younger elderly individuals (80-99 years) in their final year of life.
- To specifically examine sex differences in clinical characteristics and health service use across these age groups.
Main Methods:
- An observational, population-based study using the EpiChron Cohort in Aragón, Spain.
- Stratification of the population by sex and age groups: 80-89, 90-99, and ≥100 years.
- Comparative analysis of morbidity, polypharmacy, chronic conditions, drug use, and healthcare service utilization.
Main Results:
- Multimorbidity and polypharmacy were prevalent across all age groups, though slightly lower in centenarians.
- Cardiovascular disease risk factors, cerebrovascular disease, and dementia were common chronic conditions.
- Centenarians generally exhibited lower morbidity, treatment burden, and healthcare service use compared to octogenarians and nonagenarians.
- Sex differences in clinical characteristics were more pronounced in octogenarians and diminished with increasing age.
Conclusions:
- Centenarians may possess a better health status in their final year of life compared to younger elderly individuals, indicated by lower morbidity and healthcare utilization.
- Despite high prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy, centenarians show a comparatively reduced health burden.
- Age-related convergence of sex differences in clinical characteristics suggests a common aging process at extreme ages.
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