Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30075802›Full record

ArticleClinical epigenetics2018

DNA methylation and the epigenetic clock in relation to physical frailty in older people: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.

Catharine R Gale, Riccardo E Marioni, Sarah E Harris, John M Starr, Ian J Deary

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical epigenetics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

44 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Environmental, Lifestyle, and Health Factors Associated With DNA Methylation Age.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2020
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  14. Temporal Dynamics of Epigenetic Aging and Frailty From Midlife to Old Age.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2024
    Article
  15. Can geroscience be translated into healthcare?Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Catharine R GaleMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK. crg@mrc.soton.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-3361-8638
Riccardo E MarioniCentre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
Sarah E HarrisCentre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
John M StarrCentre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
Ian J DearyCentre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council MR/K026992/1Medical Research Council G0400491Medical Research Council MC_U147585819Medical Research Council MC_U147585824Medical Research Council MC_U147585827Medical Research Council MC_UP_A620_1014Medical Research Council MC_UU_12011/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_12011/2Medical Research Council MR/K026992/1Medical Research Council MR/M013111/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe biological mechanisms underlying frailty in older people are poorly understood. There is some evidence to suggest that DNA methylation patterns may be altered in frail individuals.

methodsParticipants were 791 people aged 70 years from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. DNA methylation was measured in whole blood. Biological age was estimated using two measures of DNA methylation-based age acceleration-extrinsic and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration. We carried out an epigenome-wide association study of physical frailty, as defined by the Fried phenotype. Multinomial logistic regression was used to calculate relative risk ratios for being physically frail or pre-frail according to epigenetic age acceleration.

resultsThere was a single significant (P = 1.16 × 10-7) association in the epigenome-wide association study comparing frail versus not frail. The same CpG was not significant when comparing pre-frail versus not frail. Greater extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration was associated with an increased risk of being physically frail, but not of being pre-frail. For a year increase in extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration, age- and sex-adjusted relative risk ratios (95% CI) for being physically frail or pre-frail were 1.06 (1.02, 1.10) and 1.02 (1.00, 1.04), respectively. After further adjustment for smoking and chronic disease, the association with physical frailty remained significant. Intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration was not associated with physical frailty status.

conclusionsPeople who are biologically older, as indexed by greater extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration, are more likely to be physically frail. Future research will need to investigate whether epigenetic age acceleration plays a causal role in the onset of physical frailty.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesCpG IslandsCross-Sectional StudiesEpigenomicsFemaleFrailtyGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansLogistic ModelsMaleOdds RatioScotlandAgingEpigenetic age accelerationEpigenome-wide association studyFrailty

Identifiers

PMID30075802
PMCPMC6091041

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.