Abstract
Background: The consistent findings of a negative correlation
between telomere length and replicative potential of cultured cells,
as well as a decreasing telomere length in a number of different
tissues in humans with age, have led to the suggestion that telomeres
play a role in cellular aging in vivo and ultimately even in organismal
aging. Furthermore, one small longitudinal study of elderly
individuals has suggested that longer telomeres are associated with
better survival.
Methods: Telomere length was measured as mean terminal restriction
fragment length on blood cells from 812 persons, age 73 to 101
years, who participated in population-based surveys in 1997–1998.
Among the participants were 652 twins. The participants were
followed up through the Danish Civil Registration system until
January 2005, at which time 412 (51%) were dead.
Results: Univariate Cox regression analyses revealed that longer
telomeres were associated with better survival (hazard ratios 0.89
95% confidence interval 0.76 –1.04 per 1 kb in males and 0.79
0.72– 0.88 per 1 kb in females, respectively). However, including
age in the analyses changed the estimates to 0.97 (0.83–1.14) and
0.93 (0.85–1.03), respectively. Intrapair comparison showed that
among 175 twin pairs in which at least one died during follow up,
it was the twin with the shorter telomere length who died first in 97
(55%) of the pairs (95% confidence interval 48 – 63%). We could
not confirm the recently reported negative correlation between telomere
length and obesity or between telomere length and smoking.
Conclusion: This longitudinal study of the elderly and oldest old
does not support the hypothesis that telomere length is a predictor
for remaining lifespan once age is controlled for.
between telomere length and replicative potential of cultured cells,
as well as a decreasing telomere length in a number of different
tissues in humans with age, have led to the suggestion that telomeres
play a role in cellular aging in vivo and ultimately even in organismal
aging. Furthermore, one small longitudinal study of elderly
individuals has suggested that longer telomeres are associated with
better survival.
Methods: Telomere length was measured as mean terminal restriction
fragment length on blood cells from 812 persons, age 73 to 101
years, who participated in population-based surveys in 1997–1998.
Among the participants were 652 twins. The participants were
followed up through the Danish Civil Registration system until
January 2005, at which time 412 (51%) were dead.
Results: Univariate Cox regression analyses revealed that longer
telomeres were associated with better survival (hazard ratios 0.89
95% confidence interval 0.76 –1.04 per 1 kb in males and 0.79
0.72– 0.88 per 1 kb in females, respectively). However, including
age in the analyses changed the estimates to 0.97 (0.83–1.14) and
0.93 (0.85–1.03), respectively. Intrapair comparison showed that
among 175 twin pairs in which at least one died during follow up,
it was the twin with the shorter telomere length who died first in 97
(55%) of the pairs (95% confidence interval 48 – 63%). We could
not confirm the recently reported negative correlation between telomere
length and obesity or between telomere length and smoking.
Conclusion: This longitudinal study of the elderly and oldest old
does not support the hypothesis that telomere length is a predictor
for remaining lifespan once age is controlled for.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Epidemiology |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 190-194 |
| ISSN | 1044-3983 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |