Is the Leukocyte Telomere Length Associated with Decreased Physical Functional Capacity in the Elderly?

Leukocyte telomere length in the elderly has been positively associated with healthy living and physical activity. Factors that interfere with telomere shortening are similar to those that may be associated with decreasing functional capacity. To investigate the relationship between mean leukocyte telomere length and functional capacity in community-dwelling elderly individuals, this is an observational, cross sectional, multicentric study conducted with elderly Brazilian patients. Sample characterization was performed using a sociodemographic clinical questionnaire. Telomere length was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and functional capacity was evaluated by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). A total of 113 elderly individuals (age 70 ± 5.4 years; 75 women and 38 men) were enrolled in this study. Unexpectedly, it was found that lower relative telomere length was associated with better physical capacity in the global SPPB score. Although telomere shortening is observed with increasing age, it is not associated with decreased functional capacity. Functionality is broad and multidimensional, involving the connection of biopsychosocial and cultural factors. While functionality may not be considered a marker of functional aging in an elderly cohort, it can still play an important role in longitudinal studies, which attempt to elucidate process theories. Future studies should use different techniques to measure telomere lengths in subpopulations of cells.