What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to evaluate how telomere length correlates with arterial stiffness as measured by CAVI.

June 3, 2026

Association Between Telomere Length and Arterial Stiffness

Key Points

The aim is to evaluate how telomere length correlates with arterial stiffness as measured by CAVI.
Examined 45 patients with assessments including questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory tests.
Telomere length measured using real-time quantitative PCR; arterial stiffness assessed via CAVI.
Statistical analyses performed using correlation, quartile, and multivariate linear regression analyses.
Shorter telomere length correlates with higher CAVI, indicating increased arterial stiffness (r = -0.395, p = 0.007).
Lowest telomere length quartile had significantly higher CAVI than the highest quartile (p = 0.025).
Negative correlations with age, smoking, obesity, blood pressure, and lipid levels were observed.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between telomere length and arterial stiffness assessed by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Design and method: We examined 45 patients. All participants underwent questionnaire assessment, anthropometric measurements (waist and hip circumferences), blood pressure evaluation, and laboratory testing, including lipid and glucose profiles (Cardiocheck PA, USA, 2020). Arterial stiffness was assessed using the CAVI (VaSera VS-2000, Japan, 2024). Leukocyte DNA was extracted from whole blood, and telomere length was measured using real-time quantitative PCR (Qubit, Singapore, 2020). Statistical analyses, including correlation, quartile, and multivariate linear regression analyses, were performed using Statistica 12.0 software. Results: The median age was 26 21;39 years, 42% of patients were male, 42.2% were smokers, and 24.4% were obese. Telomere length ranged from 6.5 to 10.5, with a median of 8.59 7.53; 8.85. Telomere length was negatively correlated with age, smoking status, obesity-related anthropometric parameters, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose levels, and dyslipidemia, while a positive correlation was observed with HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05). To evaluate the relationship between telomere length and arterial stiffness, patients were divided into quartiles according to telomere length: in the 1st quartile, telomere length was 7.11 6.96; 7.4, in the 2nd quartile - 8.4 8.35; 8.5, in the 3rd - 8.7 8.6; 8.76, in the 4th - 9.4 8.96; 9.73. Quartile analysis demonstrated that patients in the lowest telomere length quartile (7.11 6.96; 7.40) had significantly higher CAVI values compared with those in the highest quartile (9.40 8.96; 9.73) (p = 0.025). Correlation analysis revealed a significant inverse association between telomere length and CAVI (r = - 0.395, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Shorter telomere length is associated with increased arterial stiffness and is related to age, smoking, and metabolic cardiovascular risk factors.

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