Key result
High overall social isolation was significantly associated with an increased risk of 10-year mortality (HR 1.39) in community-dwelling older adults.
Why the study?
Pathways linking social isolation, loneliness, and health remain unclear.
Are social isolation and loneliness associated with adverse biomarker profiles, functional decline, and mortality in older adults?
Cohort (n=1,459)
Are social isolation and loneliness associated with adverse biomarker profiles, functional decline, and mortality in older adults?
Hazard Ratio: 1.39 (95% CI 1.15–1.67)
Social isolation in older adults is associated with unfavorable biomarker profiles, reduced functional parameters, and increased long-term mortality.
Social isolation was associated with higher mortality and poorer function in older adults; leaves open whether interventions targeting isolation improve outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Pathways between social isolation (SI), loneliness and health are unclear. AIMS: To analyze the relationship between SI and loneliness with biomarkers of inflammation, cardiac and immune function, functional parameters, and mortality. METHODS: SI (Lubben Social Network Scale) from family, friends, and overall as well as loneliness (single direct question) were assessed at baseline in a population-based cohort study of 1459 community-dwelling adults aged 65 + in Germany. Serum biomarkers and functional parameters measured at baseline and at three-year follow-up included high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-cTnI), high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-cTnT), gait speed, and hand grip strength. We used linear and Cox regression analyses adjusted for age and sex (model 1) and established confounders (model 2). RESULTS: High SI from friends was associated with small but significant adverse associations with some biomarkers (hs-CRP, GDF-15, hs-cTnT) at follow-up (model 1). High SI from family associated with NT-proBNP (model 2), high SI and moderate to severe loneliness with lower gait speed. Loneliness was linked to hs-CRP at baseline, but SI was a stronger predictor of biomarker levels. High SI overall (Hazard ratio 1.39, 95% CI 1.15; 1.67, model 2) was associated with increased 10-year mortality. DISCUSSION: Mainly SI from friends is linked to unfavorable biomarker profiles with small associations. Overall SI was negatively associated with functional parameters and positively with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Further research should confirm our findings using, e.g. a multidimensional assessment of loneliness.
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Braig et al. (2025) conducted a cohort in Community-dwelling older adults (n=1,459). Overall social isolation vs. No overall social isolation was evaluated on 10-year mortality (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.15; 1.67). High overall social isolation was significantly associated with an increased risk of 10-year mortality (HR 1.39) in community-dwelling older adults.
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