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Association between circulating CD34-positive cell count and height loss among older men
Yuji Shimizu1,2, Shin-Ya Kawashiri3,4, Kenichi Nobusue5
1Department of General Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. shimizu@osaka-ganjun.jp.
Insights
Height loss in middle age is linked to cardiovascular disease. Lower levels of CD34-positive cells, important for blood vessel repair, are associated with greater height loss.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Science
- Hematology
Background:
- Height loss in middle age is a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality.
- Impaired blood flow, a key factor in cardiovascular disease, is linked to reduced microcirculation.
- Hematopoietic stem cells, specifically CD34-positive cells, are crucial for maintaining microcirculation through endothelial repair and angiogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between circulating CD34-positive cell count and height loss.
- To determine if CD34-positive cell count is an independent predictor of height loss.
Main Methods:
- A 2-year follow-up study was conducted on 363 Japanese men aged 60-69 years.
- Height loss was defined as being in the highest quartile of height decrease per year.
- Circulating CD34-positive cell counts were analyzed in relation to height changes, adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse association was found between circulating CD34-positive cell count and height loss.
- The fully adjusted odds ratio for height loss was 0.49 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.74) for lower CD34-positive cell counts.
- This association remained significant even after accounting for known cardiovascular risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Reduced circulating CD34-positive cell count may contribute to height loss.
- A diminished capacity to maintain microcirculation, potentially due to fewer CD34-positive cells, could be a factor in age-related height reduction.
- These findings suggest a link between stem cell function and skeletal changes associated with aging.
Abstract:
Height loss starting in middle age is reportedly significantly associated with death due to cardiovascular disease. Impaired blood flow is the main pathology in cardiovascular disease. Hematopoietic stem cells such as CD34-positive cells play an important role in maintaining the microcirculation and preventing impaired blood flow by activating endothelial repair and angiogenesis. Therefore, circulating CD34-positive cell count could be associated with height loss. To clarify the association between circulating CD34-positive cell count and height loss, we conducted a follow-up study of 363 Japanese men aged 60-69 years over 2 years. Height loss was defined as being in the highest quartile of height decrease per year. Independent of known cardiovascular risk factors, circulating CD34-positive cell count was significantly inversely associated with height loss. The fully adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of height loss for circulating CD34-positive cell count (logarithmic values) was 0.49 (0.32, 0.74). This study suggests that a lower capacity to maintain the microcirculation due to a fewer CD34-positive cells might affect height loss.
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