P36 Leukocyte Telomere Length is Inversely Associated with Wave Reflection in 566 Normotensive and Never-treated Hypertensive Subjects

Abstract

Background

Telomeres are short segments in chromosome ends, the length of which is reduced during cell life-cycles. We examined the association of leukocyte telomere length and short telomere proportion with hemodynamic variables.

Methods

Altogether 566 subjects (279 women and 287 men) without cardiovascular disease and medications with direct cardiovascular influences were subjected supine recordings for 5 minutes. Haemodynamics were captured using continuous tonometric pulse wave analysis and whole-body impedance cardiography. The analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), alcohol use, smoking, plasma chemistry, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Results

In univariate analyses, leukocyte telomere length correlated with age, BMI, eGFR, aortic blood pressure, augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, and systemic vascular resistance (p < 0.05 for all). Short telomere proportion correlated with age, BMI, eGFR, aortic systolic blood pressure, augmentation index, and pulse wave velocity (p < 0.05 for all). In linear regression analyses of all hemodynamic variables, leukocyte telomere length was only an independent explanatory factor for augmentation index (Beta −0.006, p = 0.032), while short telomere proportion was not an explanatory factor for any of the hemodynamic variables, in contrast to age, BMI and several cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusion

Augmentation index was predominantly related with chronological aging, but also with leukocyte telomere length, suggesting that this variable of central wave reflection is a moderate marker of vascular biological aging.