title: Telomere length and risk of stroke in Chinese.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Accumulating evidence suggests that telomere length is a maker for biological aging of the cardiovascular system. Whether stroke is associated with accelerated biological aging as measured by telomere length has not been conclusively demonstrated. Our aim was to determine whether mean leukocyte telomere length is a predictor for the development of stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relative telomere length of leukocytes was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 1309 stroke patients and 1309 age- and sex-matched control subjects as well as 858 stroke patients followed prospectively for 5 years. For each measure, the study sample was divided into quartiles. The associations between the telomere length and risk of stroke as well as poststroke adverse outcomes were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean telomere length was significantly shorter in stroke patients than in control subjects. Shorter telomere length levels were directly associated with a higher risk of stroke in the case/control sample. As compared with the fourth (longest) quartile, the odd ratios [OR] (and 95% confidence intervals [CI]) for ischemic stroke risk were as follows: third quartile, 1.37 (1.04-1.82); second quartile, 1.53 (1.17-2.02); and first quartile, 2.12 (1.62-2.77). Follow-up of the patients from the prospective cohort also showed that shorter telomere length levels were associated with mortality from all causes but not with recurrence of stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shorter telomere length was associated with ischemic stroke and was a strong predictor of poststroke death.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hypertension and Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Shaffer
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yujun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Rutai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Dao Wen
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016615:Telomere / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004247:DNA