Table 1.
Comparison of paternal effect models shows that PBY can influence telomere length distinctly from FAB
| Model | Study | Paternal effect (95% CI) (bp/year) | Age effect (95% CI) (bp/year) | Paternal effect partial R2 | Age effect partial R2 | Model R2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paternal birth year (PBY) | UK Twins | −19.48 (−23.03 to −15.93) | −40.94 (−45.04 to −36.82) | 0.0681 | 0.1144 | 0.1825 |
| NHLBI-FHS | −14.66 (−18.18 to −11.14) | −36.42 (−40.54 to −32.31) | 0.0847 | 0.1114 | 0.1962 | |
| Asklepios | −17.73 (−21.97 to −13.49) | −46.05 (−52.76 to −39.33) | 0.0257 | 0.0450 | 0.0708 | |
| Combined | −17.22 (−19.40 to −15.04) | −39.44 (−42.08 to −36.80) | 0.1058 | 0.0581 | 0.3967 | |
| Father’s age at birth (FAB) | UK Twins | 13.39 (9.63 to 17.14) | −21.38 (−23.25 to −19.51) | 0.0067 | 0.1560 | 0.1627 |
| NHLBI-FHS | 14.56 (11.04 to 18.08) | −21.69 (−23.63 to −19.75) | 0.0184 | 0.1774 | 0.1958 | |
| Asklepios | 17.17 (12.90 to 21.43) | −28.30 (−33.03 to −23.57) | 0.0238 | 0.0450 | 0.0689 | |
| Combined | 14.85 (12.63 to 17.08) | −22.18 (−23.53 to −20.84) | 0.0116 | 0.1629 | 0.3911 |
Multiple linear regression models using paternal birth year (PBY) in addition to the age, top panel, produce age-associated telomere shortening rates more consistent with longitudinal measurements of telomere shortening than models that utilize father’s age at birth (FAB), bottom panel, in all three datasets individually and combined. Further, models using PBY instead of age produce higher R2 values and have a lower fractional contribution from age.