Key result
Elderly subjects had significantly higher sitting plasma noradrenaline than young subjects (2.47 vs. 1.80 nmol/L, P=0.038), an elevation confined to elderly long-term smokers.
Cross-Sectional (n=22)
Elevated plasma noradrenaline in elderly individuals may be driven by long-term smoking rather than age alone, possibly as a compensatory mechanism to smoking-induced vascular dilation.
Consider smoking status in elderly noradrenaline assessments; leaves open whether age or smoking drives sympathetic activation.
Venous plasma noradrenaline (NA), cardiac index, total blood volume, and other haemodynamic parameters were measured in 12 young (median age of 29, range 21-37 years) and 10 elderly (median age of 68, range 55-85 years) healthy male subjects in the resting supine and sitting positions. Cardiac index was equal in the two groups and did not correlate to plasma NA. Plasma NA was significantly elevated in the elderly subjects in the sitting position (2.47 +/- 0.28 vs. 1.80 +/- 0.13 nmol l-1, P = 0.038). Elevated plasma NA levels were confined to elderly long-term smokers. Sitting plasma NA was significantly correlated to total blood volume corrected for body weight, r = -0.720, P = 0.0002, but with no difference in blood volume between smokers and non-smokers. It is concluded, that long-term smoking may result in elevated plasma NA levels seen in elderly subjects. It is suggested, that this is a compensatory mechanism to vascular dilation induced by chronic smoking.
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Jensen et al. (1993) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (n=22). Older age and long-term smoking vs. Young age and non-smoking was evaluated on Sitting venous plasma noradrenaline (p=0.038). Elderly subjects had significantly higher sitting plasma noradrenaline than young subjects (2.47 vs. 1.80 nmol/L, P=0.038), an elevation confined to elderly long-term smokers.
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