Electronic health records reveals resilience patterns of cardiovascular disease in Basque centenarians

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiology
• Biomedical Science

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading global cause of mortality.
• The impact of CVDs on centenarians, the oldest age group, is not well understood.
• Aging is a significant risk factor for CVDs, necessitating research into extreme longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and impact of CVDs in centenarians compared to non-centenarians.
• To analyze differences in CVD prevalence, diagnoses, and treatments between these age groups.
• To explore survival outcomes and biological recovery patterns in centenarians with CVDs.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) from 649 centenarians and 62,753 non-centenarians in the Basque Country.
• Descriptive statistics to compare prevalence, diagnosis counts, and treatments.
• Survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and non-linear mixed models (NLMMs) for biomarker trajectories.

Main Results:

• Centenarians exhibited lower incidence of severe conditions like ischemic heart disease, with similar overall CVD incidence compared to non-centenarians.
• Survival analyses indicated extended longevity in centenarians post-CVD diagnosis.
• Biomarker trajectories suggested centenarians possess favorable biological profiles, demonstrating greater resilience and faster recovery.

Conclusions:

• Centenarians with CVDs show delayed onset, reduced severity, and better biological recovery than younger individuals.
• These findings highlight potential resilience mechanisms contributing to healthy aging in extreme longevity.
• Understanding these mechanisms could inform strategies for promoting longevity and well-being.