Fibroblast growth factor 21 and survival in the elderly: Polsenior2 study results

“Of note, participants with high serum levels of FGF21 more frequently had metabolic complications, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia.”

BUFFALO, NY- October 17, 2024 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science), Volume 16, Issue 19 on September 18, 2024, entitled, “Fibroblast growth factor 21 inversely correlates with survival in elderly population – the results of the Polsenior2 study.”

As noted in the abstract, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a liver-secreted hormone involved in regulating lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism. Its serum concentration increases with age and is elevated in various diseases. FGF21 is currently being investigated for its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target.

In their paper, Polish researchers Gabriela Handzlik, Aleksander J. Owczarek, Andrzej Więcek, Małgorzata Mossakowska, Tomasz Zdrojewski, Anna Chudek, Magdalena Olszanecka-Glinianowicz, and Jerzy Chudek from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, and the Medical University of Gdansk aimed to assess the prognostic value of FGF21 in an older, population-based cohort from the PolSenior2 study.

The researchers report that in a sub-analysis of 3,512 individuals aged 60 and older, stratified into tertiles based on FGF21 levels, the survival estimate was worse in participants with middle and high FGF21 levels compared to those in the lowest tertile. These findings were supported by univariable Cox regression analysis, where participants in the middle and high FGF21 tertiles, after adjusting for age, had a 1.43-fold (HR 1.31; 95% CI, 1.05–1.62) and 2.56-fold (HR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.59–2.37) increased risk of mortality, respectively, compared to the lowest tertile. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, the highest FGF21 levels were independently associated with increased mortality (HR 1.53; 95% CI, 1.22–1.92), regardless of co-morbidities and blood parameters.

"These results indicate that higher serum FGF21 concentration is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in the general population of older adults.”

Continue reading: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206114

Corresponding Author: Gabriela Handzlik - ghandzlik@sum.edu.pl

Keywords: aging, fibroblast growth factor 21, survival, population-based study, longevity

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About Aging:

The journal Aging aims to promote 1) treatment of age-related diseases by slowing down aging, 2) validation of anti-aging drugs by treating age-related diseases, and 3) prevention of cancer by inhibiting aging. (Cancer and COVID-19 are age-related diseases.)

Aging is indexed by PubMed/Medline (abbreviated as “Aging (Albany NY)”), PubMed Central, Web of Science: Science Citation Index Expanded (abbreviated as “Aging‐US” and listed in the Cell Biology and Geriatrics & Gerontology categories), Scopus (abbreviated as “Aging” and listed in the Cell Biology and Aging categories), Biological Abstracts, BIOSIS Previews, EMBASE, META (Chan Zuckerberg Initiative) (2018-2022), and Dimensions (Digital Science).

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