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Telomere length in white blood cells is not associated with morbidity or mortality in the oldest old: A population-based study

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Carmen Martin-RuizORCiD, Professor Thomas von Zglinicki

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Abstract

Cross-sectional studies have repeatedly suggested peripheral blood monocyte telomere length as a biomarker of aging. To test this suggestion in a large population-based follow-up study of the oldest old, we measured telomere length at baseline in 598 participants of the Leiden 85-plus Study (mean age at baseline 89.8 years). We also obtained second telomere measurements from 81 participants after an average time span of between 3.9 and 12.9 years. Telomere length at baseline was not predictive for mortality (P>0.40 for all-cause, cardiovascular causes, cancer or infectious diseases, Cox regression for gender-adjusted tertiles of telomere length) or for the incidence of dementia (P=0.78). Longitudinally, telomere length was highly unstable in a large fraction of participants. We conclude that blood monocyte telomere length is not a predictive indicator for age-related morbidity and mortality at ages over 85 years, possibly because of a high degree of telomere length instability in this group. © 2005 The Authors Journal compilation.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Martin-Ruiz CM, Gussekloo J, van Heemst D, von Zglinicki T, Westendorp RGJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Aging Cell

Year: 2005

Volume: 4

Issue: 6

Pages: 287-290

Print publication date: 01/12/2005

ISSN (print): 1474-9718

ISSN (electronic): 1474-9726

Publisher: Wiley

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-9726.2005.00171.x

DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-9726.2005.00171.x

PubMed id: 16300480

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