Association between physical activity, physical performance, and inflammatory biomarkers in an elderly population: The InCHIANTI study

Abstract

Background. Our aim was to determine the association between physical activity and physical performance, and inflammatory biomarkers in elderly persons. Methods. One thousand four persons aged 65 years or more, participants in a cross-sectional population-based study, were included. Interviewers collected information on self-reported physical activity during the previous year. Moreover, 841 participants performed a 400-meter walking test to assess physical performance. Plasma concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers were determined. Results. Compared to sedentary men, men practicing light and moderate-high physical activity had a significantly lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate (-0.33 and -0.40 mm/h; p = .023 and p = .006, respectively), fibrinogen level (-43 and -39 mg/dL; p = .001 and p = .004, respectively), and logarithm of C-reactive protein (CRP) (-0.43 and -0.73 mg/L; p = .025 and p