Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (27)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by De Waart, F.
Right arrow Articles by Kok, F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by De Waart, F.
Right arrow Articles by Kok, F.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

International Journal of Epidemiology 2001;30:136-143
© International Epidemiological Association 2001


Cardiovascular Disease

Serum carotenoids, {alpha}-tocopherol and mortality risk in a prospective study among Dutch elderly

FG De Waarta, EG Schoutena, AFH Stalenhoefb and FJ Koka

a The Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University and Research Center, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
b Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University Hospital Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Reprint requests to: FG de Waart, Wageningen University and Research Center, Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Dreijenlaan 1/Bodenr. 154, 6703 HA Wageningen, The Netherlands. E-mail: frouwkje. hans{at}consunet.nl

Abstract

Background Although ß-carotene has shown inverse associations with chronic diseases involving free radical damage in observational epidemiological studies less attention has been paid to five other major carotenoids also showing antioxidant activity in vitro.

Methods We studied the associations between 7.2-year mortality and serum levels of six carotenoids, and {alpha}-tocopherol, measured in stored serum, sampled in 1991/1992 during a health survey among 638 independently living elderly subjects aged 65–85 years. Proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios of all-cause mortality for the lowest tertiles of serum vitamins with the highest tertiles, adjusting for possible confounding effects.

Results During a follow-up period of 7.2 years 171 elderly died. The adjusted hazard ratios for all-cause mortality for the lowest tertiles of vitamins compared with the highest tertiles were between 1.02 and 1.73. The strongest increase in mortality risk was seen for ß-cryptoxanthin (1.52, 95% CI : 1.00, 2.32), lutein (1.56, 95% CI : 1.05, 2.31) and zeaxanthin (1.32, 95% CI : 0.89, 1.97) and their sum (oxygenated carotenoids: 1.73, 95% CI : 1.12, 2.67). Tests for trend were significant (P < 0.05) for all-cause mortality risk and serum levels of total carotenoids, oxygenated carotenoids and ß-cryptoxanthin.

Conclusions Our findings suggest that serum levels of individual carotenoids, particularly the oxygenated species are inversely associated with all-cause mortality and should be considered as candidates for further investigations.

Keywords {alpha}-tocopherol, carotenoids, all-cause mortality

Accepted 5 January 2000


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J. Nutr.Home page
B. Buijsse, E. J. M. Feskens, L. Kwape, F. J. Kok, and D. Kromhout
Both {alpha}- and -Carotene, but Not Tocopherols and Vitamin C, Are Inversely Related to 15-Year Cardiovascular Mortality in Dutch Elderly Men
J. Nutr., February 1, 2008; 138(2): 344 - 350.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
A. Agudo, L. Cabrera, P. Amiano, E. Ardanaz, A. Barricarte, T. Berenguer, M. D Chirlaque, M. Dorronsoro, P. Jakszyn, N. Larranaga, et al.
Fruit and vegetable intakes, dietary antioxidant nutrients, and total mortality in Spanish adults: findings from the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain)
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2007; 85(6): 1634 - 1642.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Clin. Chem.Home page
A. Hozawa, D. R. Jacobs Jr., M. W. Steffes, M. D. Gross, L. M. Steffen, and D.-H. Lee
Relationships of Circulating Carotenoid Concentrations with Several Markers of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Endothelial Dysfunction: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA)/Young Adult Longitudinal Trends in Antioxidants (YALTA) Study
Clin. Chem., March 1, 2007; 53(3): 447 - 455.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
M. E Wright, K. A Lawson, S. J Weinstein, P. Pietinen, P. R Taylor, J. Virtamo, and D. Albanes
Higher baseline serum concentrations of vitamin E are associated with lower total and cause-specific mortality in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study.
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2006; 84(5): 1200 - 1207.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
B. Buijsse, E. J. Feskens, D. Schlettwein-Gsell, M. Ferry, F. J Kok, D. Kromhout, L. C. de Groot, and for the SENECA investigators
Plasma carotene and {alpha}-tocopherol in relation to 10-y all-cause and cause-specific mortality in European elderly: the Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly, a Concerted Action (SENECA)
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2005; 82(4): 879 - 886.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arch Intern MedHome page
S. Hercberg, P. Galan, P. Preziosi, S. Bertrais, L. Mennen, D. Malvy, A.-M. Roussel, A. Favier, and S. Briancon
The SU.VI.MAX Study: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Health Effects of Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals
Arch Intern Med, November 22, 2004; 164(21): 2335 - 2342.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical SciencesHome page
A. D. Dangour, V. L. Sibson, and A. E. Fletcher
Hormones and Supplements: Do They Work?: Micronutrient Supplementation in Later Life: Limited Evidence for Benefit
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., July 1, 2004; 59(7): B659 - B673.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Diabetes CareHome page
Z. T. Bloomgarden
Consequences of Diabetes: Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes Care, July 1, 2004; 27(7): 1825 - 1831.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
J. H. Dwyer, M. J. Paul-Labrador, J. Fan, A. M. Shircore, C. N. B. Merz, and K. M. Dwyer
Progression of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Plasma Antioxidants: The Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., February 1, 2004; 24(2): 313 - 319.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
A. E Fletcher, E. Breeze, and P. S Shetty
Antioxidant vitamins and mortality in older persons: findings from the nutrition add-on study to the Medical Research Council Trial of Assessment and Management of Older People in the Community
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2003; 78(5): 999 - 1010.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
E. S Ford, C. Gillespie, C. Ballew, A. Sowell, and D. M Mannino
Serum carotenoid concentrations in US children and adolescents
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2002; 76(4): 818 - 827.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.