European Heart Journal Advance Access published online on August 17, 2009
European Heart Journal, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehp324
Systemic telomere length and preclinical atherosclerosis: the Asklepios Study
1 Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
2 Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
3 Department of Clinical Chemistry, AZ St-Jan AV Hospital, Ruddershove 10, B-8000 Bruges, Belgium
4 Department of Public Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
5 Institute of Biomedical Technology, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
6 Association of Primary Care Physicians Asklepios V.O.F, Terbekenstraat 40, B-9320 Nieuwerkerken-Aalst, Belgium
Received 13 October 2008; revised 17 April 2009; accepted 16 June 2009 * Corresponding author. Tel: +32 92649922, Fax: +32 92646219, Email: tim.demeyer{at}ugent.be
Aims: Peripheral blood leucocyte (PBL) telomere length (TL) is a systemic ageing biomarker and has been proposed to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed at providing an explanation for this association by the evaluation of the biomarker value of PBL-TL in preclinical atherosclerosis.
Methods and results: Peripheral blood leucocyte telomere length was assessed by telomere restriction fragment analysis in 2509 volunteers free from established CVD, aged approximately 35–55 years old, from the Asklepios Study cohort. Intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque presence were determined by ultrasonography in both left and right carotid and femoral arteries. Peripheral blood leucocyte telomere length was not a significant independent determinant of IMT (P > 0.3) or plaque presence (P > 0.05), in either artery or either sex. In women but not in men, PBL-TL was a weak determinant of combined (carotid or femoral) plaque presence, adjusted for other risk factors (women: P = 0.03, men: P > 0.4). However, even in women presenting plaques, PBL-TL was still longer than in men.
Conclusion: Since systemic TL is not a substantial underlying determinant of preclinical atherosclerosis, the association between CVD and TL cannot be explained by the fact that subjects with shorter inherited TL are predisposed to atherosclerosis.
Key Words: Preclinical atherosclerosis • Telomere length • Biological ageing • Epidemiology • Risk factors
First authors and equal contributors to the manuscript.