Association between inflammatory markers and hospitalizations: evidence from the Bambuí cohort of aging baseline.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION\nInflammation plays an important role in the aging process.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nThis cross-sectional study aims to examine the association between inflammatory markers and hospitalizations among older adults, considering as potential confounding factors the predisposing and enabling factors for the use of health services and health conditions.\n\n\nMETHODS\nWe used data from 1,393 participants (≥ 60 years) in the baseline cohort from Bambuí. The markers assessed were ten cytokines and chemokines [interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), CCL2, CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10]. The outcome variable was one or more hospitalizations in the preceding 12 months.\n\n\nRESULTS\nElevated serum levels of IL-6 were significantly associated with hospitalizations [prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.38; confidence interval of 95% (95%CI) 1.02 - 1.87 and PR = 1.38; 95%CI 1.01 - 1.88 for the intermediate and highest tertiles, respectively]. High levels of CXCL9 were also independently associated with the outcome (PR = 1.38; 95%CI 1.01 - 1.89 and PR = 1.46; 95%CI 1.07 - 2.00, respectively). Other markers showed no statistically significant association with hospitalizations.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nAmong the ten markers analyzed, only IL-6 and CXCL9 were associated with hospitalizations.