Are spirometric lung function indices associated with telomere length of circulating leukocytes?
H Schulz, E Albrecht, J Behr, RM Huber, D Nowak, N Klopp, V Codd, N Saman, C Gieger, J Heinrich, HE Wichmann, A Peters, RA Jörres, S Karrasch · Pneumologie · 2012 · Heft 05
Bibliografische Angaben
Zusammenfassung
Telomere shortening has been recognized as marker of biological aging. Telomere length as well as lung function are decreased in smokers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suggesting premature aging due to environmental exposure and/or chronic inflammation. While breathing, any lung is inevitably exposed to air borne pollutants. Therefore, we wondered whether lung function may serve as a surrogate marker for the individual's biological age and studied the association between lung function indices and telomere length in a random sample of the general population. Spirometry (Master Scr…
