What is the most important determinant of cardiometabolic risk in 60-65-year-old subjects: physical activity-related behaviours, overall energy expenditure or occupational status? A cross-sectional study in three populations with different employment status in Poland

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to determine whether cardiovascular risk factors may differ according to occupational status and whether physical activity related to total energy expenditure (PA-EE) and related to health-related behaviours (PA-HRB) is associated with common cardiovascular risk factors or metabolic syndrome in pre-elderly subjects.

METHODS

Three hundred subjects aged 60-65 were recruited and divided into three equal groups of white-collar, blue-collar workers and unemployed subjects; 50% were women. The subjects were tested for major cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, lipid levels, glucose, uric acid and homocysteine. PA-EE and PA-HRB were assessed with PA questionnaires.

RESULTS

Blue-collar workers displayed higher anthropometric indices, blood pressure and higher PA-EE in comparison with other two groups. PA-HRB had a positive impact on body mass indices, lipids, glucose, uric acid and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, with no such relationship observed for PA-EE.

CONCLUSIONS

The greatest cardiovascular risk was observed in the blue-collar workers group. Only PA-HRB had a positive association with cardiometabolic risk profile. No relationship was observed for PA-EE. Thus, promoting everyday life and leisure time PA behaviours is crucial for preventing cardiometabolic risk in pre-elderly subjects, even in blue-collar workers with high work-related EE.

Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in elderly patients with unipolar depression - case control analysis

AIM

C-reactive protein (CRP) is the major acute-phase plasma protein. Studies show that patients with depression have elevated levels of CRP. The aim of the study was to determine differences in CRP serum level in elderly patients with unipolar depression (DEP) compared with non-depressed elderly patients (nonDEP) using case-control analysis.

METHODS

Serum level of CRP was measured in 404 (DEP: n = 202, nonDEP: n = 202) Caucasian inpatients aged ≥60 (350 women, 86.7%; mean age = 76.7 years).

RESULTS

Mean CRP level in the study groups was: DEP 2.67 ± 2.56 mg/dL, nonDEP 2.41 ± 2.19 mg/dL, the difference was not significant (p = 0.96). The overall rate of being above the high level of CRP (set at 3.0 mg/L) was 33.2% for DEP and 29.2% for nonDEP groups (p = 0.39). It was also found that, in the whole study group, CRP level was not correlated with age (p = 0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients with depression have no increased CRP levels. A high percentage (∼30%) of all subjects had a CRP level >3 mg/L, which is the cut-off point for increased cardiovascular risk.