Low HDL, Hyperglycemia, Hypertension Linked With Increased Mortality in Older Women

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, hyperglycemia, and hypertension appear more strongly associated with death in older woman than in older men, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.

“The influence of metabolic syndrome on mortality may be influenced by age- and gender-related changes affecting the impact of individual metabolic syndrome components,” researchers wrote. “We investigated gender differences in the association between metabolic syndrome components and mortality in community-dwelling older adults.” 

The meta-analysis, which included 10 studies of all-cause mortality in 103,859 older adults and eight studies of cardiovascular mortality in 94,965 older adults, found no significant associations between mortality and abdominal obesity or high triglycerides in older men or older women. 

Among women, however, low HDL cholesterol was associated with increased all-cause death and cardiovascular death; weaker results were found for men. High fasting glycemia was associated with higher all-cause death in older women than in older men—and with cardiovascular death in older women alone.

Meanwhile, elevated blood pressure was linked with increased all-cause mortality and showed marginally significant associations with cardiovascular death only among women.

“The impact of metabolic syndrome components on mortality in older people present some gender differences,” researchers concluded, “with low HDL cholesterol, hyperglycemia, and elevated blood pressure being more strongly associated to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in women.” 

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference:

Sergi G, Dianin M, Bertocco A, et al. Gender differences in the impact of metabolic syndrome components on mortality in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 12]. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2020;S0939-4753(20)30157-5. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2020.04.034