I'ree M. A microassav for active and total renin concentration in htomani plasma based tiO antibodv trapping. Chitn (/hinm lAt-t 1980;101:5-15 12 Dusterdieck G(, McEllwee Mortality from coronary heart disease in civil servants in the lowest grade of employment has been found to be about three times that of men in the highest grade of employment. As part of an investigation ofthis finding several haemostatic variables were measured in a sample of 29 men in lower grades of employment and 45 men in higher grades. There was a significant difference in plasma fibrinogen concentrations between men in lower grades of employment and those in higher grades (mean 3 39 g/l v 2-95 g/l, respectively; p

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Blood lead concentration was measured in 398 male and 133 female London civil servants not subject to industrial exposure to heavy metals. The relation between blood lead and serum creatinine concentrations and blood pressure were examined. Blood lead concentration ranged from 0-20 to 1-70 pmol/l with a geometric mean concentration of 0-58 umolIl in men and 0-46 pmol/l in women (p < 0-001). In women blood lead concentration increased with age (r = + 0-27; p = 0 002). In the two sexes blood lead concentration was positively correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked a day (men r = + 0-17 and women r = + 0-22; p < 0-01), with the reported number of alcoholic beverages consumed a day (men r = + 0 34 and women r = 0-23; p < 0-01), and with serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (men r = + 023 and women r = +0414; for men p < 0-01). Blood lead concentration was not correlated with body weight, body mass index, and employment grade. In men 14% ofthe variance ofblood lead concentration was explained by the significant and independent contributions of smoking and alcohol intake and in women 16% by age,

Background-As a component of studies on biological age, the age of subjects from their appearance (perceived age) was estimated. Objective-To determine the factors associated with looking older. Methods-Cross sectional study of London civil servants (318 men, 129 women) in the Department of the Environment study. Perceived age was recorded by an observer and the diVerence between this age and chronological age was analysed according to 20 diVerent variables. Results-Men had an average perceived age of 0.37 years older than their actual age and women a perceived age of 0.54 years younger. In men, looking older was related to greying of the hair, grade of arcus senilis, and grade of baldness. Less expected, looking older was positively related to total serum cholesterol (p=0.03) and blood haemoglobin (p<0.01). In women, looking older was related to greying of the hair, positively to blood erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and negatively to serum bilirubin (p=0.01). Looking older was not related to alcohol consumption, employment grade, serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, albumin, and calcium in either sex. Conclusion-The relationships between looking older and total cholesterol and haemoglobin in men and ESR and bilirubin in women, require further investigation. (Postgrad Med J 2001;77:578-581) Keywords: ageing; cholesterol; haemoglobin; erythrocyte sedimentation rate It is well recognised that people look older in the face when they have more than the expected number and extent of wrinkles and a corresponding lack of skin elasticity.1 Elastic fibres in the skin degenerate and thicken when the skin is exposed to sunlight.2 3 Warren et al reported that estimated age was increased by solar exposure in middle aged but not young women. The increase in an age group 45-51 years was four years. In addition it has long been recognised that smokers look older, 4-9 although the relative contribution of say, wrinkles and less subcutaneous fat has to be determined.Intuitively looking older should also be associated with markers of ageing such as having more grey hair or becoming bald. Moreover other variables should be associated with higher estimated ages when they are either causally related to loss of skin elasticity or simply associated with greying of hair, baldness, exposure to sun, etc. This article reports the association of many of these variables and biochemical measures to looking older in subjects in the Department of Environment study. 10This study of London civil servants was directed at determining diVerences in social class (employment grade) and included measures of ageing. MethodsThe selection of subjects has been described. The subjects were a sample, stratified by age, gender, and employment grade and randomly selected using diVerent sampling fractions to provide equal numbers in each age and grade group.11 Of the 397 men in the study 318 had an estimated (perceived) age recorded when first seen by the research staV and of the 130 women, 129 had this investigation. Chronolog...