title: Leukocyte telomere length associates with prospective mortality independent of immune-related parameters and known genetic markers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human leukocyte telomere length (LTL) decreases with age and shorter LTL has previously been associated with increased prospective mortality. However, it is not clear whether LTL merely marks the health status of an individual by its association with parameters of immune function, for example, or whether telomere shortening also contributes causally to lifespan variation in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured LTL in 870 nonagenarian siblings (mean age 93 years), 1580 of their offspring and 725 spouses thereof (mean age 59 years) from the Leiden Longevity Study (LLS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that shorter LTL is associated with increased prospective mortality in middle (30-80 years; hazard ratio (HR)=0.75, P=0.001) and highly advanced age (≥90 years; HR=0.92, P=0.028), and show that this association cannot be explained by the association of LTL with the immune-related markers insulin-like growth factor 1 to insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 molar ratio, C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, cytomegalovirus serostatus or white blood cell counts. We found no difference in LTL between the middle-aged LLS offspring and their spouses (β=0.006, P=0.932). Neither did we observe an association of LTL-associated genetic variants with mortality in a prospective meta-analysis of multiple cohorts (n=8165).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirm LTL to be a marker of prospective mortality in middle and highly advanced age and additionally show that this association could not be explained by the association of LTL with various immune-related markers. Furthermore, the approaches performed here do not further support the hypothesis that LTL variation contributes to the genetic propensity for longevity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands j.deelen@lumc.nl.
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deelen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beekman
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Veryan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Codd
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medica
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trompet
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Broer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hägg
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Thijssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H Eka D
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Suchiman
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Postmus
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medica
authors.forename: André G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Uitterlinden
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anton J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Craen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Metspalu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Duijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Wouter
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jukema
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeanine J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Houwing-Duistermaat
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nilesh J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Samani
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Estonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P Eline
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Slagboom
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007162:Immunoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008136:Longevity / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016615:Telomere / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007162:Immunoproteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators
keywords: Leukocyte telomere length; familial longevity; genetics; human; immune-related markers; prospective mortality