Mean telomere length and risk of incident venous thromboembolism: a prospective, nested case-control approach

Recent studies have shown telomere-length shortening as a risk predictor for cardiovascular disease. However, to date, no prospective data are available on its potential involvement in venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Using leukocyte DNA samples collected at baseline in a prospective cohort of 14,916 initially healthy American men, we examined the relationship of mean telomere repeat copy number to single gene copy number (T/S ratio), using a modified quantitative polymerase chain reaction protocol, amongst 108 White males who subsequently developed a first ever VTE event and amongst an equal number of age- and smoking-matched White males who remained free of vascular events during follow-up (controls).

An inverse correlation between T/S ratios and age was observed in our controls (p=0.04). However, the T/S ratios were similar between cases and controls (p=0.31). Furthermore, in a multi-variable adjusted analysis, we found no evidence for an association of the observed T/S ratios with VTE risk (odds ratio=1.20; 95%CI=0.58-2.52; p=0.62).

The present investigation found no evidence for an association of relative telomere length with risk of incident VTE.