RESUMO
The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between blood groups and life expectancy. We compared frequencies of ABO blood group in 269 centenarians (persons over 100 years) living in Tokyo and those in regionally matched controls (n=7153). Frequencies of blood types A, O, B, and AB in centenarians were 34.2, 28.3, 29.4, and 8.2%, respectively, while those in controls were 38.6, 30.1, 21.9, and 9.4%, respectively. Blood type B was observed more frequently in centenarians than in controls (chi(2)=8.41, P=0.04). This tendency also was true in comparison between centenarians and 118 elderly old individuals of the 7153. Approximate one-third of the centenarians were free from serious diseases such as malignancy. However, blood types were not associated with such medical records. Our findings suggest that blood type B might be associated with exceptional longevity. Responsible mechanisms need to be investigated.
Assuntos
Sistema ABO de Grupos Sanguíneos/fisiologia , Longevidade/imunologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Doenças Cardiovasculares/sangue , Suscetibilidade a Doenças , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias/sangueRESUMO
We have previously reported that centenarians (persons > or = 100 y old) in Tokyo prefer dairy products. Dietary preferences may be associated with longevity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and further survival in centenarians. During 1992-1999, we examined the dietary practices of 104 centenarians (29 men and 75 women; mean age, 100.3 +/- 0.9 y) who lived in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Dietary patterns were classified by kappa-means cluster analysis. As clinical co-variables, we considered activities of daily living, cognitive function, nutritional status, presence of important disease, gender, and age at the time of the initial survey. Survival data were recorded yearly until 2001, and then tested with Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log rank statistic. Four dietary patterns were identified: a pattern preferring vegetables (n = 33), a pattern preferring dairy products (n = 26), a pattern preferring beverages (n = 10), and a pattern preferring cereals (n = 35). No clinical variables differed between the four dietary patterns. In 2001, 28 centenarians were still alive. The survival rate for those preferring dairy products was the highest of the four dietary patterns; in particular, being significantly higher than the pattern preferring beverages (p = 0.048). A dietary pattern preferring dairy products was associated with increased survival in Tokyo-area centenarians.