Cohort study examining associations between ceramide levels and risk of multimorbidity among persons participating in the Mayo Clinic Biobank

Abstract

ObjectiveCeramides have been associated with several ageing-related conditions but have not been studied as a general biomarker of multimorbidity (MM). Therefore, we determined whether ceramide levels are associated with the rapid development of MM.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingMayo Clinic Biobank.Participants1809 persons in the Mayo Clinic Biobank ≥65 years without MM at the time of enrolment, and with ceramide levels assayed from stored plasma.Primary outcome measurePersons were followed for a median of 5.7 years through their medical records to identify new diagnoses of 20 chronic conditions. The number of new conditions was divided by the person-years of follow-up to calculate the rate of accumulation of new chronic conditions.ResultsHigher levels of C18:0 and C20:0 were associated with a more rapid rate of accumulation of chronic conditions (C18:0 z score RR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.53; C20:0 z score RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.49). Higher C18:0 and C20:0 levels were also associated with an increased risk of hypertension and coronary artery disease.ConclusionsC18:0 and C20:0 were associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic conditions. When combined with biomarkers specific to other diseases of ageing, these ceramides may be a useful component of a biomarker panel for predicting accelerated ageing.