Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42269392›Full record

ArticleArchives of gerontology and geriatrics2026

Associations of serum neurofilament light chain concentration with able life and healthy life in older adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

Jenny Yi-Chen Hsieh, W T Longstreth, Paula H Diehr, Colleen M Sitlani, Michelle C Odden, Kenneth J Mukamal, Luc Djousse, Susan R Heckbert

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In one paragraph

Article in Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Jenny Yi-Chen HsiehDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
W T LongstrethDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Paula H DiehrDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Colleen M SitlaniCardiovascular Health Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 4333 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195-9458, USA.
Michelle C OddenDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Kenneth J MukamalDepartment of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School and Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Luc DjousseHarvard Medical School and Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Susan R HeckbertDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 4333 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195-9458, USA. Electronic address: heckbert@uw.edu.

Funding

Exceptional Survival: Trajectories to Functional Aging (CHS All Stars)R01AG023629 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI NEWMAN, ANNE B. · 2004 to 2016
$9.5M
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH STUDY (CHS) - TASK AREA C, STUDY CLOSEOUT75N92021D00006 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI PSATY, BRUCE · 2021 to 2024
$8.4M
CHS research resources for the cardiovascular health of older adultsU01HL130114 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI BURKE, GREGORY L, KRONMAL, RICHARD A · 2016 to 2019
$6.6M
CHS Events Follow-up StudyU01HL080295 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI PSATY, BRUCE M · 2005 to 2008
$4.6M
Non-esterified fatty acids and dementia: risk, structure, and biomarkersR01AG053325 · NIA · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI DJOUSSE, LUC, MUKAMAL, KENNETH JAY · 2016 to 2019
$3.5M
Multiethnic machine learning brain signatures of ADRDR01AG080821 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · PI HABES, MOHAMAD · 2022 to 2025
$2.9M
Infrastructure for mentored access to CHS data and specimensR01HL172803 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI James S Floyd, Michelle Christina Odden · 2025 to 2026
$2.7M
Non-esterified Fatty Acids and Chronic Pain in Older AdultsK24AG065525 · NIA · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · PI MUKAMAL, KENNETH JAY · 2020 to 2024
$1.0M
CENTRAL BLOOD ANALYSIS LABORATORY FOR CHSN01HC085086 · HC · UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT &ST AGRIC COLLEGE · PI TRACY, RUSSELL P · 1988 to 2000
–
CORONARY HEART DISEASE &STROKE IN PEOPLE AGED 65 TO 84N01HC085079 · HC · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 1988 to 2005
–
CHS-Transition Phase -268055222-268055222N01HC055222 · HC · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI KRONMAL, RICHARD A · 2005 to 2006
–
CORONARY HEART DISEASE &STROKE IN THE ELDERLYN01HC085080 · HC · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY · PI BURKE, GREGORY L · 1988 to 2000
–
NHLBI NIH HHS 75N92021D00006NHLBI NIH HHS HHSN268200800007CNHLBI NIH HHS HHSN268201200036CNHLBI NIH HHS HHSN268201800001CNHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC055222NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC085079NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC085080NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC085081NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC085082NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC085083NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC085086NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL172803NHLBI NIH HHS U01 HL080295NHLBI NIH HHS U01 HL130114NIA NIH HHS K24 AG065525NIA NIH HHS R01 AG023629NIA NIH HHS R01 AG053325NIA NIH HHS R01 AG080821
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSerum neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a biomarker of brain injury. We examined the associations of serum NfL concentration with able life and healthy life among older adults.

methodsWe analyzed Cardiovascular Health Study participants with measured NfL and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Over 13 years' follow-up, outcomes were years of life (YOL), years of able life (YAL), years of healthy life (YHL), and proportion of follow-up spent able (YAL/YOL%) or healthy (YHL/YOL%). "Able" was defined by independence in all activities of daily living, and "healthy" was defined by self-reported health status. Linear regression and linear spline regression models were used to estimate the difference in each outcome associated with a 50% increment in serum NfL, an increment within the range of the observed data.

resultsAmong 1957 participants (mean age 77.8; 61% female), in the adjusted linear model, each 50% increment in NfL was associated with 0.6 fewer YOL (95% CI: -0.7, -0.4), 0.7 fewer YAL (-0.8, -0.5), 0.5 fewer YHL (-0.7, -0.4), 2.9% lower YAL/YOL% (-4.0%, -1.7%) and 1.8% lower YHL/YOL% (-3.1%, -0.6%). Spline analysis showed the strongest associations at NfL of 19.7-33.9 pg/mL, where each 50% increment in NfL was associated with 6.5% lower YAL/YOL% (-9.4%, -3.6%) and 5.6% lower YHL/YOL% (-8.8%, -2.4%).

conclusionsHigher serum NfL concentration was associated with less able and healthy life among older adults free of stroke or TIA. Further investigation of NfL, including longitudinal evaluation, is needed to understand its relationship with functional status.

Indexed as

Activities of Daily LivingHealth StatusNeurofilament ProteinsAgedAged, 80 and overBiomarkersFemaleHumansMaleBiomarkersneurofilament protein LNeurofilament ProteinsAble lifeActivities of daily livingFunctional statusHealthy lifeOlder adultsSerum neurofilament light chain

Identifiers

PMID42269392
PMCPMC13361684

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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.