Telomere length and cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy: the LIFE study

Abstract

Short telomeres are associated with aging and agerelated diseases. Our aim was to determine whether short leukocyte telomere length is associated with risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in a high-risk hypertensive population. We measured leukocyte telomere lengths at recruitment in 1271 subjects with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) participating in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study. At baseline, short mean telomere length was associated with coronary artery disease in males (odds ratio (OR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39-0.95), and transient ischemic attack in females (OR 0.62 95% CI 0.39-0.99). Proportion of short telomeres (shorter than 5 kb) was associated with Framingham risk score (r ¼ 0.07, Po0.05), cerebrovascular disease (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.15) and type 2 diabetes in men (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.11). During follow-up, proportion of short telomeres was associated with combined cardiovascular mortality, stroke or angina pectoris (hazard ratio 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07). Telomere length was not associated with smoking, body mass index, pulse pressure or selfreported use of alcohol. Our data suggest that reduced leukocyte telomere length is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases as well as type 2 diabetes, and is a predictor of cardiovascular disease in elderly patients with hypertension and LVH.

Are the leukocyte telomere length attrition and telomerase activity alteration potential predictor biomarkers for sporadic TAA in aged individuals?

“…Confirmation of these data derives by further studies of Chinese, Indian, and Finnish researchers that evidenced as hypertension is a significant contributor in telomere attrition (Yang et al 2009;Fyhrquist et al 2011;Bhupatiraju et al 2012). Thus, these data encourage to propose as the complex interplay between the environmental and genetic factors can determine the senescence of cardiovascular cells and the onset of CVDs, i.e., sporadic TAA.…”

Telomere length is associated with ACE I/D polymorphism in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

“…Obviously, our results provide no definite answer. Several studies have shown an association between cardiovascular risk and LTL, 7,8,10,21 and the DD genotype is related to higher tissue ACE activity 13,27 which in turn could result in telomere attrition via increased production of angiotensin II 13,15 and oxidative stress. 28,29 The mechanism of the link between ACE genotype and telomere attrition deserves further elucidation.…”

“…14,17 In the LIFE study, elderly high risk patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy by ECG criteria were randomized to a double-blind study to treatment based on atenolol or losartan. 19 Because short telomeres are associated with cardiovascular risk and disease, 7,8,20,21 and ACE I/D polymorphism is related to carotid artery atherosclerosis 16 and coronary artery disease in hypertensive men, 22 we hypothesized that there might be an interaction between telomere length, ACE genotype and cardiovascular risk. To test this hypothesis, we have compared leucocyte telomere length with ACE I/D genotype and cardiovascular risk factors and events for 1249 participants in the LIFE study.…”

An epigenetic clock controls aging

“…Then in 2003, (Cawthon et al 2003) used historic blood samples from a Salt Lake City hospital to demonstrate that telomere length is a strong predictor of age-adjusted mortality. The finding has been replicated in humans (Bischoff et al 2005;Harris et al 2006;Brouilette et al 2007;Fitzpatrick et al 2007;Kimura et al 2008;Fyhrquist et al 2011;Ma et al 2011;Strandberg et al 2011;Willeit et al 2011) and also in mammals (Brümmendorf et al 2002;McKevitt et al 2002) and birds (Pauliny et al 2006). There are two plausible mechanisms by which cellular senescence contributes to aging.…”