Short report

Hemostasis and ageing

Daniela Mari¹ , Giulia Ogliari¹ , Davide Castaldi¹ , Giovanni Vitale¹ , Elisa Mariadele Bollini¹ and Domenico Lio²

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e U.O. di Geriatria, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy

²Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Metodologie Biomediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy

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Immunity & Ageing 2008, 5:12doi:10.1186/1742-4933-5-12

Published:	23 October 2008

Abstract

On March 19, 2008 a Symposium on Pathophysiology of Ageing and Age-Related Diseases was held in Palermo, Italy. The lecture of D. Mari on Hemostasis and ageing is summarized herein. Physiological ageing is associated with increased plasma levels of many proteins of blood coagulation together with fibrinolysis impairment. This may be of great concern in view of the known association between vascular and thromboembolic diseases and ageing. On the other hand, centenarians are characterized by a state of hypercoagulability and possession of several high-risk alleles and well-known atherothrombotic risk markers but this appears to be compatible with longevity and/or health. Parameters considered risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular diseases in young people may lose their biological significance in advanced age and assume a different role.