1 Total Plasma Carotenoid and Mortality in the Elderly: 1

Abstract 20 Carotenoids are pigments brought by fruit and vegetable consumption. While high intake of 21 fruits and vegetables were found to be associated with lower mortality, our objective is 22 investigate if total plasma carotenoid, via their antioxidant properties, are associated with 23 mortality risk in a free-living elderly population. The EVA study (“Epidemiology of Vascular 24 Ageing”), (n=1389, 59-71 years) is a 9-year longitudinal study with 6 waves of follow-up. 25 Association between baseline total plasma carotenoid and mortality were determined by Cox 26 proportional hazards regression analyses. Low total plasma carotenoid level was significantly 27 associated with all-cause mortality in men but not in women. After controlling for potential 28 confounding factors, mortality risk increased significantly in men (p=0.03) with plasma 29 carotenoid in the lowest quintile compared to men with plasma carotenoid in the highest (2.89 30 [1.20; 6.97]). A significant association between mortality by cancer and low plasma 31 carotenoid level variable was also found in men (unit=1 µmol/L, RR=1.89 [1.14; 3.12], 32 p=0.01). Associations between total plasma carotenoid and mortality risk remained 33 statistically significant after taking into account: 1) plasma selenium level, which previously 3