Objective: To determine association relative telomere length (RTL) and telomerase activity with lifestyle risk factors in hypertensive patients (pts) and normotensive individuals. Design and method: 80 people (34 hypertensive patients and 46 normotensive individuals) were examined. Mean age of hypertensive pts was 55.5 ± 8.7 and of normotensives was 49.7 ± 9.9 years. Smoking status, alcohol abuse, level of physical activity, body mass index, waist circumference, presence of obesity, dietary habits, blood pressure (BP), glucose and cholesterol levels, depressive episodes and psychological stress were evaluated. Arterial stiffness performed by volume sphygmography with assessing cardio-ankle-vascular index (CAVI) and ankle-brachial index. The RTL of peripheral blood leukocytes performed by previously validated real-time PCR. Telomerase activity was determined by enzyme immunoassay. Results: The association was found between RTL and CAVI (r = −0.414; p = 0.021) in the group of hypertensive pts. However, there were no association with age, levels of glucose and cholesterol, BP, obesity, diet and psychological risk factors. Sedentary work was related with shortening RTL in hypertensive patients (p = 0.043) and in normotensives (p = 0.003). Telomerase activity was related with fruit consumption (r = 0.520; p = 0.004) in hypertensive patients. Among normotensives telomerase activity was associated with consumption of fish (r = 0.344; p = 0.024) and vegetables (r = 0.302; p = 0.004). In hypertensive patients and in normotensives also was found trend toward relation between telomerase activity with dietary salt (r = −0.312; p = 0.08 and r = −0.270; p = 0.07, accordingly). Conclusions: The data suggests that lifestyle risk factors such as sedentary work and rare fruit consumption can influence on RTL and telomerase activity in hypertensive pts as well as sedentary work, low intake of fish and vegetables in normotensive people.

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Introduction Telomere length is considered as a novel biomarker indicating the risk of a cell's age, metabolic disturbances and age-related diseases. The available evidence suggests that healthy diet with antioxidant nutrients, fruits and vegetables, Mediterranean diet can influence on telomere length. Telomerase enzyme answers the end replication problem that counters telomere shortening. The effects of the nutrition on telomere length and telomerase activity required further study. Objective To evaluate the association of the healthy diet with relative telomere length (RTL) and telomerase activity (TA) in patients (pts) with uncomplicated arterial hypertension (AH). Material and method The clinical and genetic examinations were performed in 90 people (42 patients with uncomplicated arterial hypertension (AH) and 48 normotensive individuals). Mean age of hypertensive pts was 51.5±9.3 and of normotensives was 48.5±10.2 years. RTL of peripheral blood leukocytes performed by previously validated real-time PCR. TA was determined by enzyme immunoassay method. Dietary habits, alcohol intake, smoking, level of physical activity, body mass index, waist circumference, presence of obesity, blood pressure (BP), glucose and cholesterol levels, depressive episodes and psychological stress according the international questionnaires were evaluated. Results Mean RTL was 0.86±0.14 in group of hypertensive pts and 0.91±0.10 in normotensives, p=0.139. The median TA was higher in normotensives – 5.9 ng/ml (IQR 4.1–9.6) than hypertensive pts – 4.0 ng/ml (IQR 3.3–7.3), p=0.004.The association was found between TA and more frequent consumption per week of vegetable and fish in both groups (r=0.501, p=0.005 and r=0.447, p=0.013 in hypertensive pts; r=0.297, p=0.045 and r=0.316, p=0.036 in normotensives, accordingly). In hypertensive pts also was found relation TA with daily fruit intake (r=0.493; p=0.006) and trend toward to dietary salt consumption (r=−0.316; p=0.08). Among normotensives there was negative trend to relation TA with daily consumption of meat (r=−0.291; p=0.056). There were no association RTL, TA with age, alcohol intake, smoking, levels of glucose and cholesterol, BP, obesity and psychological risk factors in two groups except for the relation TA with waist circumference in normotensives (r=−0.427; p=0.003). Conclusion The data suggests that the healthy diet with regular intake of fish, vegetable and fruit can influence on telomerase activity in patients with uncomplicated AH as well as in normotensive individuals. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Budget