Cited by 773Telomeres, Telomerase, and SenescenceCardiovascular Health and Disease PreventionGenetic Associations and Epidemiology

Leukocyte Telomere Length and Cardiovascular Disease in the Cardiovascular Health Study

Fitzpatrick, A. L., Kronmal, R. A., Gardner, J. P., Psaty, B. M., Jenny, N. S., Tracy, R. P., Walston, J., Kimura, M. +1 more·2006·American Journal of Epidemiology

Abstract

The telomere length of replicating somatic cells is inversely correlated with age and has been reported to be associated cross-sectionally with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Leukocyte telomere length, as expressed by mean terminal restriction fragment (TRF) length, was measured in 419 randomly selected participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study, comprising a community-dwelling cohort recruited in four US communities. The authors investigated associations between TRF length and selected measures of subclinical CVD/risk factors for CVD (data were collected at the 1992/1993 clinic visit) and incident CVD (ascertained through June 2002). In these participants (average age = 74.2 years (standard deviation, 5.2)), mean TRF length was 6.3 kilobase pairs (standard deviation, 0.62). Significant or borderline inverse associations were found between TRF length and diabetes, glucose, insulin, diastolic blood pressure, carotid intima-media thickness, and interleukin-6. Associations with body size and C-reactive protein were modified by gender and age, occurring only in men and in participants aged 73 years or younger. In younger (but not older) participants, each shortened kilobase pair of TRF corresponded with a threefold increased risk of myocardial infarction (hazard ratio = 3.08, 95% confidence interval: 1.22, 7.73) and stroke (hazard ratio = 3.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.29, 8.02). These results support the hypotheses that telomere attrition may be related to diseases of aging through mechanisms involving oxidative stress, inflammation, and progression to CVD.

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Crossref · 10.1093/aje/kwj346

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Authors
Fitzpatrick, A. L., Kronmal, R. A., Gardner, J. P., Psaty, B. M., Jenny, N. S., Tracy, R. P., Walston, J., Kimura, M., & Aviv, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Washington (US)
  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
  • University of Vermont (US)
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
Venue
American Journal of Epidemiology
Published
2006-10-13
Volume
165
Issue
1
Pages
14-21
ISSN
  • 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-6256
OpenAlex
W2136303436
Cited by
773
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 50 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 71 · 2013: 54 · 2012: 47
FWCI
21.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Rutgers University Community Repository (Rutgers University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • American Diabetes Association
  • Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey
  • National Institutes of Health (n01hc085079-024, n01hc015103-009, n01hc085086-022, n01hc035129-010)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (N01HC15103, N01 HC85086, N01-HC85079, N01HC35129)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
Keywords
leukocyte telomere length, telomere shortening, cardiovascular disease, terminal restriction fragments, myocardial infarction, stroke, carotid intima-media thickness, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, oxidative stress, inflammation, aging, community-dwelling older adults
MeSH terms
Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases, DNA, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Leukocytes, Male, Myocardial Infarction, Pilot Projects, Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length, Risk, Risk Factors, Telomere, Oxidative Stress, Risk Assessment

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