Loneliness and vascular biomarkers: the Dublin Healthy Ageing Study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Loneliness has been associated with poor physical health and a link has been suggested between the presence of loneliness, cardiovascular health and inflammatory markers. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between vascular disease biomarkers and loneliness in a community-dwelling non-demented elderly population. DESIGN: cross-sectional community based assessment. PARTICIPANTS: 466 subjects with mean age 75.45 (SD, 6.06) years. 208 (44.6%) were male. RESULTS: Higher levels of HbA1c, but not other vascular biomarkers were independently associated with being lonely. CONCLUSION: Loneliness was associated with raised levels of HbA1c in a community dwelling elderly population. The mechanism for this association has yet to be elucidated but may reflect an abnormal stress response in people who are lonely.