TABLE 1.
Characteristics of included study samples1
| Age, n | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ref | Study name | All, n | Men, n | Women, n | 18–60 y | >60– 75 y | >75 y | Cell type | Telomere length measure | DNA | BMI | Data provided | design | Ethnicity (proportion white/ black/Asian/Hispanic/Native American) |
| Absolute telomere length measured in base pairs | ||||||||||||||
| (3, 28–31) | TwinsUK | 3236 | 286 | 2950 | 2630 | 574 | 32 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (17, 32–34) | Bogalusa | 635 | 635 | 0 | 635 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Unknown | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 0.71/0.29/0/0/0 |
| (147) | India CURES Study | 40 | 20 | 20 | 37 | 3 | 0 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | 0/0/1/0/0 |
| (36) | Campania | 528 | 251 | 277 | 320 | 100 | 108 | Leucocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (14, 37–39) | Asklepios | 2509 | 1218 | 1291 | 2509 | 0 | 0 | Leucocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (5, 13, 40) | Framingham | 1146 | 557 | 589 | 658 | 444 | 44 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (42) | COPD | 178 | 89 | 89 | 113 | 60 | 5 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (43) | Crete | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 109 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (41) | Zutphen | 189 | 189 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 121 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (17) | Family Heart, African American | 625 | 216 | 409 | 459 | 148 | 18 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/1/0/0/0 |
| (17) | Family Heart, white | 2603 | 1170 | 1433 | 1419 | 997 | 187 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| Not published | HyperGEN, African American | 224 | 108 | 116 | 172 | 51 | 1 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/1/0/0/0 |
| Not published | HyperGEN, white | 1240 | 612 | 628 | 799 | 426 | 15 | Leukocytes | Southern Blot RF | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (44, 45) | LSADT | 525 | 171 | 354 | 0 | 82 | 443 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (46, 47) | Heart and Soul | 954 | 777 | 177 | 274 | 451 | 229 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Unknown | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.60/0.16/0.12/0.09/0.03 |
| (57, 58) | Lothian | 1057 | 530 | 527 | 0 | 1057 | 0 | Leucocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (48, 49) | WarTwins | 639 | 639 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 553 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (55) | Jerusalem LRC | 620 | 413 | 207 | 620 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Buffy coat stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (56) | Jerusalem Palestinians | 939 | 498 | 441 | 336 | 306 | 0 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Buffy coat stored | Measured | Summary | Cross-sectional | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (50–52) | Helsinki Businessmen Study | 487 | 487 | 0 | 0 | 250 | 237 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (53) | Copenhagen General Population Study | 45,069 | 20,422 | 24,647 | 26,040 | 14,525 | 4504 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (54) | SOLVABLE | 152 | 0 | 152 | 136 | 16 | 0 | PBMCs | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 0.70/0.22/0.03/0.05/0 |
| (59) | ZTL2008 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 0 | PBMCs | Southern blot RF | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (60) | Venado Tuerto 2 | 401 | 0 | 401 | 325 | 63 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 0/0/0/1/0 |
| (61) | NHSC | 672 | 333 | 339 | 534 | 138 | 0 | Leukocytes | Southern blot RF | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/0/1/0/0 |
| Absolute telomere length estimated from T/S ratio | ||||||||||||||
| (19, 62, 66, 67) | South Carolina | 323 | 145 | 178 | 305 | 18 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Unknown | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.57/0.41/0.01/0.01/0 |
| (63, 64, 68) | Bruneck | 800 | 395 | 405 | 363 | 315 | 122 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (65) | RPCI | 174 | 0 | 174 | 111 | 47 | 16 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Case-control | 0.93/0.05/0/0/0.02 |
| (22) | ESTHER | 3559 | 1583 | 1976 | 1432 | 2127 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1*/0/0/0/0 |
| Telomere length based on T/S ratio | ||||||||||||||
| (15) | MONICA | 511 | 183 | 328 | 419 | 92 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (15) | MDCC | 476 | 330 | 146 | 199 | 277 | 0 | Granulocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| Not published | Utah Pedigree Study | 964 | 493 | 471 | 725 | 183 | 56 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (71, 72) | MESA, white | 182 | 89 | 93 | 80 | 80 | 22 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (71, 72) | MESA, African American | 278 | 125 | 153 | 141 | 109 | 28 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/1/0/0/0 |
| (71, 72) | MESA, Hispanic | 518 | 252 | 266 | 245 | 231 | 42 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/0/0/1/0 |
| (73) | EARSII | 395 | 395 | 0 | 395 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Unknown | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (74) | UCLA MacArthur | 233 | 115 | 118 | 0 | 144 | 89 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Reported | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (75) | Ashkenazi | 359 | 191 | 168 | 50 | 179 | 130 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (76) | Warsaw | 714 | 246 | 468 | 235 | 411 | 68 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (77) | Finland Health 2000 cohort | 938 | 350 | 588 | 754 | 137 | 47 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Unknown | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (78) | Sister Study I (Vanguard sample) | 644 | 0 | 644 | 475 | 169 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.83/0.07/0.02/0.02/0.05 |
| (114) | Sister Study II (Genetic Study subcohort) | 734 | 0 | 734 | 548 | 186 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.92/0.04/0/0.02/0.02 |
| (79) | CAS | 183 | 96 | 87 | 112 | 53 | 18 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (80) | PATH 40 | 331 | 151 | 180 | 331 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Cohort | 0.95/0/0.03/0/0.02 |
| (80) | PATH 60 | 294 | 157 | 137 | 0 | 294 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Cohort | 0.97/0/0.02/0/0.01 | |
| (81) | Italy alcohol controls | 258 | 258 | 0 | 255 | 3 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (82) | Fels Longitudinal Study | 257 | 116 | 104 | 196 | 54 | 7 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (83, 84) | ECRAN | 188 | 38 | 150 | 121 | 41 | 26 | PBMCs | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 0/0/0/1/0 |
| (85, 86) | Heart Scan Study | 434 | 206 | 228 | 169 | 259 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (87, 88) | Boiler workers | 104 | 104 | 0 | 97 | 7 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.85/0.09/0.02/0.03/0 |
| (89, 90) | Mayo | 2886 | 1470 | 1416 | 2001 | 709 | 176 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | 0.98/0/0.01/0.01/0 |
| (91, 92, 105, 108–111) | HBCS | 1962 | 911 | 1051 | 703 | 1259 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (93–95) | PREVEND | 7991 | 3994 | 3997 | 6094 | 1897 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.96/0.01/0.02/0/0.01 |
| (96, 97, 106, 107) | Strong Heart Family Study | 3256 | 1315 | 1941 | 2834 | 340 | 82 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/0/0/0/1 |
| (98) | PREDIMED-NAVARRA | 521 | 236 | 285 | 81 | 401 | 38 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | RCT | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (99) | NHANES | 7349 | 3542 | 3807 | 5034 | 1564 | 751 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.52/0.18/0/0.30/0 |
| (100) | SWHS | 2912 | 0 | 2912 | 1812 | 1100 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/0/1/0/0 |
| (101) | DHS, white | 1073 | 493 | 580 | 821 | 245 | 7 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (101) | DHS, black | 1667 | 606 | 1061 | 1348 | 317 | 17 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/1/0/0/0 |
| (101) | DHS, Hispanic | 464 | 194 | 270 | 412 | 51 | 1 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/0/0/1/0 |
| (102) | DALS | 734 | 401 | 333 | 268 | 366 | 100 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 0.96/0/0/0.03/0 |
| (105, 113) | FinnTwin study | 2096 | 1101 | 995 | 1589 | 385 | 122 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | NA | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (112) | Former Athletes Study | 586 | 586 | 0 | 1 | 376 | 209 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (104) | USKCS, whole blood | 765 | 442 | 323 | 395 | 320 | 50 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 0.61/0.39/0/0/0 |
| (104) | USKCS, buffy coat | 126 | 70 | 56 | 87 | 36 | 3 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 0.66/0.34/0/0/0 |
| (103) | Erasmus Rucphen Study | 2449 | 1082 | 1367 | 1900 | 499 | 50 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (103) | Rotterdam Study | 2231 | 944 | 1287 | 556 | 1272 | 404 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (103) | KORA F3 | 3113 | 1509 | 1604 | 1768 | 1051 | 294 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (103) | KORA F4 | 3014 | 1457 | 1557 | 1824 | 943 | 247 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (148) | CAVASIC | 315 | 315 | 155 | 160 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Case-control | 1/0/0/0/0 | |
| (103, 149) | SAPHIR | 1681 | 1055 | 626 | 1586 | 95 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (115) | CLHNS | 3467 | 893 | 2574 | 3380 | 87 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0/0/1/0/0 |
| (116) | NEW Study | 437 | 0 | 437 | 304 | 131 | 2 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 0.85/0.08/0.02/0.03/0.02 |
| (117) | NESDO | 495 | 173 | 322 | 17 | 354 | 124 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.95/0.01/0.04/0/0 |
| (118) | NESDA | 2936 | 986 | 1950 | 2749 | 187 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.97/0.02/0.01/0/0 |
| (119) | PRT | 43 | 0 | 43 | 43 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Case-control | ** |
| (120, 121) | UMS | 67 | 67 | 0 | 65 | 1 | 1 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (122) | YMCA | 1126 | 1126 | 0 | 1126 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (123–125) | BASE-II | 1894 | 946 | 948 | 441 | 1409 | 44 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 1**/0/0/0/0 |
| (126) | Kyiv | 82 | 20 | 62 | 36 | 33 | 13 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (127) | GAHR2 | 133 | 53 | 80 | 128 | 5 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 0.93/0.01/0.01/0.05/0 |
| (128) | UMED telomere trial | 28 | 7 | 21 | 26 | 2 | 0 | PBMCs | Real-time PCR | Not stored | Measured | Raw data | Cohort | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (129) | ACCT | 904 | 454 | 450 | 469 | 361 | 74 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Measured | Summary | Cohort | 0.98/0.01/0.01/0/0 |
| (130) | RPE | 975 | 466 | 509 | 975 | 0 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Raw data | Cohort | 0/0/1/0/0 |
| (131) | Sweden Mindfulness Study | 172 | 21 | 151 | 167 | 5 | 0 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Raw data | RCT | 1/0/0/0/0 |
| (132) | EpiDREAM | 4205 | 1565 | 2640 | 3363 | 770 | 72 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Summary | — | 0.61/0.08/0.21/0.09/0 |
| (133) | INTERHEART | 3306 | 2601 | 705 | 2092 | 997 | 217 | Leukocytes | Real-time PCR | Stored | Reported | Summary | Case-control | 0.27/0.08/0.44/0.21/0 |
1*Not measured, but all of Eurasian descent; **not measured. ACCT, Anglo-Cardiff Collaborative Trial; BASE-II, Berlin Aging Study; CAS, calcific aortic valve stenosis study; CAVASIC, Cardiovascular Disease in Intermittent Claudication; CLHNS, Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey; COPD, Chronic Obstructive Lung disease cohort; CURES, Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study; DALS, Diet, Activity and Lifestyle Study; DHS, Dallas Heart Study; EARSII, European Atherosclerosis Study II; ECRAN, Envejecimiento y Enfermedades Crónicas Asociadas a Nutrición (Aging and Nutrition Associated Chronic Disease); EpiDREAM, Epidemiologic study of the Screenes for DREAM (Diabetes Reduction Assessment with Ramipril and Rosiglitazone Medication); ESTHER, Epidemiological Study on the Chances of Prevention, Early Recognition, and Optimised Treatment of Chronic Diseases in the Older Population; GAHR2, Prospective evaluation of Gender and Age differences in the impact of Hostility and Reactivity on intermediary coronary artery disease risk factors; HBCS, Helsinki Birth Cohort Study; HyperGEN, Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network study; KORA F3, Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg F3 (2004/2005) survey; KORA F4, Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg F4 (2006/2008) survey; LRC (Jerusalem), Lipid Research Clinic; LSADT, Longitudinal Study of Aging Danish Twins (https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/NACDA/studies/21041); MDCC, Malmö Diet and Cancer Cohort; MESA, Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (https://www.mesa-nhlbi.org/); MONICA, Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease; NA, not available (data provided by principal investigator); NESDA, The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety; NESDO, The Netherlands Study of Depression in older persons; NEW, Nutrition and Exercise for Women; NHSC, Nutrition and Health in Southwest China study; PATH 40, Personality and Total Health Through Life Project AGE 40-44; PATH 60, Personality and Total Health Through Life Project AGE 60–64; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PREDIMED, Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea; PREVEND, Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease; PRT, Progressive Resistance Training; RCT, randomized controlled trial; Ref, reference; RF, restriction fragment; RPCI, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; RPE, Richard Paul Ebstein; SAPHIR, Salzburg Atherosclerosis Prevention program in subjects at High Individual Risk Study; SOLVABLE, Study of Lupus Vascular and Bone Longterm Endpoints; summary, summary statistics; SWHS, Shanghai Women's Health Study; T/S ratio, telomere to single-copy gene ratio; UMED, Uniwersytet MEDyczny w Łodzi (Medical University of Lodz (MUL)); UMS, ultra-marathon study; USKCS, US Kidney Cancer Study; YMCA, Young Men Cardiovascular Association; ZTL2008, Zannolli Telomere Length 2008.