Inflammation Linked To Frailty, Social Deprivation, Heart Risk In Women: Study

Chronic inflammation may be associated with an increased risk of frailty, social disadvantage, and cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study.

The study, published in the journal Communications Medicine, looked at 74 inflammation-related proteins in blood samples from more than 2,000 women aged between 37 and 84 years and explored how inflammation was linked to frailty, area-level social deprivation, and CVD risk.

The researchers identified 10 inflammatory proteins that were associated with both frailty and living in a deprived area.

Of these, four proteins that are involved in cellular signaling, growth, and movement (TNFSF14, HGF, CDCP1, and CCL11) were also linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

"To better understand how frailty and deprivation contribute to heart disease, we took a data-driven approach, screening a large number of inflammatory proteins in the blood. By identifying overlapping biological markers linked to both social and health vulnerability, we were able to uncover a potential shared pathway between these risk factors," said Dr. Yu Lin, Research Associate in the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London.

One of the proteins, CDCP1, was found to be significantly associated with future heart disease events, such as narrowed or blocked arteries. These findings suggest that certain inflammatory proteins may act as a biological bridge connecting social inequality, ageing, and heart disease.

Further, the team validated their findings in an independent group of women to ensure the results were consistent across different populations.

"Frailty, social disadvantage, and heart disease often go hand in hand, but the biological mechanisms linking them are not yet fully understood. Our findings suggest that the stress of socioeconomic hardship may trigger harmful inflammation that damages health over time," said Dr. Cristina Menni, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Epidemiology at King's College London.

"If confirmed, this could open up new ways to prevent disease, not only through medical treatments that reduce inflammation but also through social policies that address health inequalities," she added.

The proteins identified in the study may also serve as biomarkers to help clinicians identify individuals at greater risk of heart disease.

The findings suggest that a dual approach to public health may offer an effective way of reducing CVD risk in vulnerable populations by combining medical strategies that reduce inflammation with broader social policies that address inequality.

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