The Association between Short Telomere Length and Cardiovascular Disease

Telomeres, repetitive DNA sequences at chromosome ends, shorten with cell division, countered by telomerase. Short telomeres are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD), alongside its risk factors like aging, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, inactivity, and smoking. Many studies have claimed the implication of telomere length (TL) in cardiac diseases. This study examined TL's impact on heart conditions using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) technology.

Thirteen CVD patients (nine men and four women) aged 30-70 years and aged-matched healthy participants from the BIOTEL population TL database, were included in the study. Each chromosome's TL from peripheral blood cells was measured using metaphase Q-FISH. An independent sample t test was used to compare participants' mean or median TL with various medical factors and habits.

The mean TL of whole and short telomeres in cardiac disease patients was lower compared to aged-matched healthy controls; however, there was no statistical significance due to the limited patient sample. The mean TL of short telomeres in cardiac disease patients showed a remarkable decline with advanced age. Accordingly, the mean TL of whole and short telomeres in patients with cardiac diseases showed a similar reduced trend.

In our study, shorter TL was observed in cardiac disease patients compared to those of healthy controls by using metaphase Q-FISH. However, more cases need to be studied to elucidate the use of TL as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of patients with CVD.