Short telomere length, lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 46 396 individuals

TY - JOUR

T1 - Short telomere length, lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 46 396 individuals

AU - Rode, Line

AU - Bojesen, Stig E

AU - Weischer, Maren

AU - Vestbo, Jørgen

AU - Nordestgaard, Børge G

PY - 2013/5

Y1 - 2013/5

N2 - Background: A previous case-control study of 100 individuals found that short telomere length was associated with a 28-fold increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: To test the hypothesis that short telomere length is associated with reduced lung function and an increased risk of COPD. Methods: Observational study of 46 396 individuals from the Danish general population. Measurements: Leucocyte telomere length and spirometry were measured. COPD was defined using either fixed forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio <0.70 as suggested by the Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) or FEV 1/FVC below the lower limit of normal (LLN). Results: Telomere length decreased significantly with increasing age (p<10-300). FEV 1, FVC and FEV1/FVC decreased with decreasing telomere length quartiles (p trend: 5×10-51, 5×10-35 and 6×10-137, respectively), but the associations attenuated after age and multivariable adjustment. The risk of COPD increased with decreasing telomere length quartile (p trend: p=7×10-92 for GOLD; p=8×10-44 for FEV1/FVC below LLN), but associations also attenuated after adjustment. Unadjusted and multivariable adjusted OR for shortest versus longest telomere length quartiles were 2.06 (95% CI 1.91 to 2.22) and 1.15 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.25) for GOLD and 1.73 (95% CI 1.60 to 1.88) and 1.19 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.30) for FEV1/FVC below LLN, respectively. Per 1000 base pairs decrease in telomere length, the multivariable adjusted OR was 1.07 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.10) for GOLD and 1.07 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.11) for FEV1/FVC below LLN. Conclusions: Short telomere length is associated with decreased lung function and with increased risk of COPD, but the associations are markedly attenuated after adjustment. Our data support a modest correlation between telomere length and the lung function indices examined.

AB - Background: A previous case-control study of 100 individuals found that short telomere length was associated with a 28-fold increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: To test the hypothesis that short telomere length is associated with reduced lung function and an increased risk of COPD. Methods: Observational study of 46 396 individuals from the Danish general population. Measurements: Leucocyte telomere length and spirometry were measured. COPD was defined using either fixed forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio <0.70 as suggested by the Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) or FEV 1/FVC below the lower limit of normal (LLN). Results: Telomere length decreased significantly with increasing age (p<10-300). FEV 1, FVC and FEV1/FVC decreased with decreasing telomere length quartiles (p trend: 5×10-51, 5×10-35 and 6×10-137, respectively), but the associations attenuated after age and multivariable adjustment. The risk of COPD increased with decreasing telomere length quartile (p trend: p=7×10-92 for GOLD; p=8×10-44 for FEV1/FVC below LLN), but associations also attenuated after adjustment. Unadjusted and multivariable adjusted OR for shortest versus longest telomere length quartiles were 2.06 (95% CI 1.91 to 2.22) and 1.15 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.25) for GOLD and 1.73 (95% CI 1.60 to 1.88) and 1.19 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.30) for FEV1/FVC below LLN, respectively. Per 1000 base pairs decrease in telomere length, the multivariable adjusted OR was 1.07 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.10) for GOLD and 1.07 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.11) for FEV1/FVC below LLN. Conclusions: Short telomere length is associated with decreased lung function and with increased risk of COPD, but the associations are markedly attenuated after adjustment. Our data support a modest correlation between telomere length and the lung function indices examined.

U2 - 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2012-202544

DO - 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2012-202544

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23268483

SN - 0040-6376

VL - 68

SP - 429

EP - 435

JO - Thorax

JF - Thorax

IS - 5

ER -