Triglycerides: the higher the better in oldest olds, finds new study

A decreased triglyceride level in the elderly is associated with increased risk of adverse health effects and mortality. Triglycerides: the higher the better in oldest olds, finds a new study.

In the oldest olds, people in nineties, a higher concentration of TGs may be linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline, ADL decline, frailty aggravation, and mortality revealed a study published in the journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The current clinical guidelines suggest lowering of hypertriglyceridemia of any severity, even in elderly individuals. However, the present study has found that a decreased triglyceride level in the elderly is associated with increased risk of adverse health effects and mortality. To ascertain the link between serum TG levels and with cognitive function, activities of daily living (ADLs), frailty, and mortality among the oldest old, Yue‐Bin Lv et.al conducted a prospective cohort study in which they found that In the oldest old, a higher concentration of TGs was associated with a lower risk of adverse health outcomes and mortality.

The prospective study was conducted in China in a Community‐based setting. A total of 930 (mean age = 94.0 years) Chinese oldest-old had participated in the study. The TG concentrations were measured at the baseline survey in 2009. Cognitive function, ADLs, frailty, and mortality were determined over 5 years of follow‐up. Cox proportional hazards models and competing risk models were performed to explore the association, adjusting for potential confounders.

Key findings

• Each 1‐mmol/L increase in TGs was associated with a nearly 20% lower risk of cognitive decline, ADL decline, and frailty aggravation during the 5 years of follow‐up.


• Consistently, higher TGs was associated with lower 5‐year all‐cause mortality after full adjustment.


• Nonelevated TG concentrations were associated with higher mortality risk, relative to TGs of 2.26 mmol/L or more.


• Similar results were observed regarding TG concentrations and mortality in 1‐year lag analysis and when excluding

Physicians affirm that our bodies need some fat and that we should maintain healthy levels of good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol. The authors feel this paradox suggests the clinical importance of revisiting the concept of “the lower the better” for the oldest old.

Source: https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15733