Early and late childhood telomere length predict subclinical atherosclerosis at age 14 yrs. - The CardioCAPS study

Abstract

Introduction: Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT) is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, associated with cardiovascular risk in adults. Telomere length (TL) is a marker of cellular ageing. We sought to determine whether telomere length in early childhood and/or at 14-years is associated with CIMT in adolescence, in a community-based cohort study.

Methods: 118 children had TL measured at mean age 3.6-years and 165 children had TL and CIMT, measured at 14-years, from the community-based Childhood Asthma Prevention Study.

Results: TL in early childhood was significantly inversely associated with CIMT at 14 years, p = 0.04. TL in teenage life was also significantly inversely associated with CIMT at 14 years, p = 0.03. This latter association was no longer significant, however, after adjusting for early life TL.

Conclusion: TL measured in early childhood and adolescence is significantly associated with CIMT at 14-years, suggesting that telomere length is a biological marker or even early determinant of late cardiovascular risk.

Keywords: Adolescence; Ageing; Carotid intima-media thickness; Telomeres.