Table 1a.
Correlation and association between leukocyte telomere length and cardiometabolic risk factors
| n | Partial correlation coefficient (95%; CI) p-value |
Regression coefficient (95%; CI)1 p-value |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 58 | 0.05 (-0.21; 0.30) 0.72 |
0.002 (-0.006; 0.010) 0.66 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 58 | 0.07 (-0.19; 0.32) 0.63 |
0.26 (-1.01; 0.54) 0.68 |
| Fasting glucose (mmol/l) | 58 | -0.06 (-0.31; 0.20) 0.66 |
-0.04 (-0.19; 0.12) 0.62 |
| 2h-glucose (mmol/l) | 58 | -0.34 (-0.55; -0.09) 0.013 |
-0.58 (-1.00; -0.16) 0.007 |
| Fasting insulin (mU/l) | 57 | 0.01 (-0.25, 0.27) 0.93 |
0.04 (-1.13; 1.21) 0.95 |
Multivariate linear regression with each cardiometabolic risk factor as the outcome and leukocyte telomere length (z-score) as the main exposure, adjusting for age, sex, diabetes family history and study. The estimates for age are from a model where telomere length was the outcome and age (z-score) the main exposure, adjusting for sex, diabetes family history and study. In theory, statins and anti-inflammatory drugs might affect leucocyte telomere length. In the MEI study none of the participants reported using such drugs, whereas in the PPP-Botnia study two participants reported using lipid-lowering drugs and two participants reported using anti-inflammatory drugs. Controlling for the use of these drugs in analyses had no materially impact on the results of the study.