Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Author Spotlight: Exploring the Impact of Trauma on Cellular Aging
Published on: March 22, 2024
A Prospective Study Investigating Prediagnostic Leukocyte Telomere Length and Risk of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis
Jennifer Prescott1, Elizabeth W Karlson2, Esther H Orr2
1From the Channing Division of Network Medicine, and the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, and Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.J. Prescott, PhD, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; E.H. Orr, BS, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; I. De Vivo, PhD, MPH, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; E.W. Karlson, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; K.H. Costenbader, MD, MPH, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; R.Y. Zee, BDS, PhD, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. nhjxp@channing.harvard.edu.
Longer leukocyte telomere length (LTL) may be associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women. Shorter LTL was not found to precede RA development in this study.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
- Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of cellular aging.
- The association between LTL and RA development requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively examine the association between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and subsequent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development in women.
- To investigate if shorter LTL precedes RA onset.
Main Methods:
- Case-control study nested within three large prospective cohorts (NHS, NHSII, WHS).
- Matched 296 RA cases with 827 controls based on cohort, age, menopausal status, and hormone therapy use.
- Measured LTL using quantitative PCR on prediagnostic blood samples; analyzed using logistic regression and meta-analysis.
Main Results:
- Longer prediagnostic LTL was associated with increased RA risk (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.03-2.23) when comparing the longest versus shortest LTL tertiles.
- Significant heterogeneity was observed for the intermediate LTL tertile (Pheterogeneity = 0.008).
- No heterogeneity was found based on menopausal status, BMI, seropositivity, or HLA-DRβ1 status.
Conclusions:
- The study findings do not support a role for short leukocyte telomere length preceding rheumatoid arthritis development.
- Longer LTL may be associated with an increased risk of RA, warranting further research into the underlying mechanisms.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
02:20Longitudinal Research