Aging and Thrombosis

Abstract

Advanced age is associated with a dramatic increase in the rates of venous and arterial thrombotic events. Increases in fibrinogen, factors VIII and IX, and other coagulation proteins, without a proportional increase in anticoagulant factors, likely contribute to this risk. Recent studies have delineated a role for genomic elements in controlling age-related expression of some coagulation proteins. Enhanced platelet activity as well as molecular and anatomic changes in the vessel wall also contribute to the thrombotic propensity. Advanced age is associated with elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein levels, indicating an inflammatory state that may be an important stimulus for thrombus formation in the elderly. Despite evidence of a prothrombotic state, many elderly people do not experience clinical thrombotic events. It is possible that the increase in coagulation proteins and activation markers conveys a survival advantage, such as inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. The recent epidemic in obesity may heighten thrombotic risks in the elderly because adipose tissue is an important source of inflammatory cytokines and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). As the population ages, further studies will be warranted to define the mechanisms for thrombosis in the elderly.

mTORC1 promotes aging-related venous thrombosis in mice via elevation of platelet volume and activation

“…[6][7][8] Although conflicting results have been reported, 40 the majority of studies to date have highlighted an increase in platelet size with aging, 13 providing a potential explanation for higher thrombotic risk in aged individuals. [3][4][5] As larger platelets contain more granules and express procoagulant surface proteins and adhesion molecules, they display greater prothrombotic potential. 5,12 Established cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity, can also influence MPV, 41 indicating an association of MPV with thrombosis.…”

“…3 Despite the well-established clinical association between aging and VTE, 4,5 the mechanisms by which aging increases susceptibility to VTE remain largely unknown.…”

Prevalence of HIV in Hospitalized Patients with Venous Thrombosis of the Lower Limbs to the Abidjan Cardiological Institute

“…HIV infection is known to be a provider of deep vein thrombosis [4] [5]. It affects mainly young people as in our study [4]. The age of HIV positive patients reported in the literature is around 40 years [6] [7].…”

Evaluation of Tissue Factor Activities and Sialic Acid Levels in D-Galactose Induced Aging Model

“…Hayvan ve insan deney modellerinde yaşlı-larda koagulasyon-fibrinoliz ve inflamasyon yanıtının arttığı bildirilmektedir. Bu durum ilerleyen yaşla beraber gelişen kardiyovasküler hastalıklar ve tromboz ile ilişkilidir (25). Diğer taraftan böbrek fonksiyonlarında azalma ve yaşa bağlı renal yetmezlikte artma yaşlanmanın ortak semptomlarıdır.…”