Collerton Joanna, Martin-Ruiz Carmen, Kenny Antoinette, Barrass Karen, von Zglinicki Thomas, Kirkwood Tom, Keavney Bernard
Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, and Department of Cardiology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
Eur Heart J. 2007 Jan;28(2):172-6. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehl437. Epub 2007 Jan 10.
Heart failure is a condition increasingly prevalent at older ages; however, mechanisms by which the ageing process affects cardiac function are largely unknown. Telomere length is a biomarker of ageing that has been suggested to be associated with a variety of diseases of late onset, but its relationship with cardiac function has not previously been studied. We measured telomere length in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and carried out echocardiography in a group of 85-year old subjects recruited from the community as part of the Newcastle 85+ Study.
Eighty-nine subjects were recruited through local family practitioners. They were visited in their homes for clinical assessment and echocardiography, which was performed using a handheld device. Telomere length was measured by a real-time PCR method. High sensitivity C-reactive protein was measured using ELISA. Echocardiographic M-mode ejection fraction (EF) was strongly associated with telomere length (P=0.006) in subjects without evidence of previous MI. Sex and telomere length were significant predictors of EF while current smoking, blood pressure, plasma high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and use of cardiovascular medications were not. One standard deviation longer telomeres were associated with a 5% higher EF. Telomere length accounted for 12% of the observed variability in EF.
These data show influences of the ageing process on myocardial function in the oldest old, apparently independent of other specific disease processes. This may be of importance in the aetiology of heart failure in this age group.
心力衰竭在老年人中越来越普遍；然而，衰老过程影响心脏功能的机制在很大程度上尚不清楚。端粒长度是衰老的生物标志物，已被认为与多种迟发性疾病有关，但其与心脏功能的关系此前尚未得到研究。我们测量了从社区招募的一组85岁受试者外周血单核细胞中的端粒长度，并进行了超声心动图检查，这是纽卡斯尔85岁及以上研究的一部分。
通过当地家庭医生招募了89名受试者。他们在家中接受临床评估和超声心动图检查，使用手持设备进行。通过实时PCR方法测量端粒长度。使用ELISA测量高敏C反应蛋白。在没有既往心肌梗死证据的受试者中，超声心动图M型射血分数（EF）与端粒长度密切相关（P = 0.006）。性别和端粒长度是EF的重要预测因素，而当前吸烟、血压、血浆高敏C反应蛋白和心血管药物的使用则不是。端粒长一个标准差与EF高5%相关。端粒长度占观察到的EF变异性的12%。
这些数据表明衰老过程对最年长者心肌功能有影响，显然独立于其他特定疾病过程。这在该年龄组心力衰竭的病因学中可能具有重要意义。
