title: Telomere length analysis in Cushing's syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypercortisolism in Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Hypercortisolism also occurs in chronic depressive disorders and stress, where telomere length (TL) is shorter than in controls. We hypothesized that shortening of telomere might occur in CS and contribute to premature aging and morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate TL in CS patients compared with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven CS patients (14 males, 59 pituitary, 17 adrenal, and one ectopic; 21 with active disease) were compared with 77 gender-, age-, and smoking-matched controls. Fifteen CS were evaluated longitudinally, during active disease and after remission of hypercortisolism. Leukocyte TL was measured by telomere restriction fragment-Southern technique. Clinical markers were included in a multiple linear regression analysis to investigate potential predictors of TL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean TL in CS patients and controls was similar (7667 vs 7483 bp, NS). After adjustment for age, in the longitudinal evaluation, TL was shorter in active disease than after remission (7273 vs 7870, P<0.05). Age and dyslipidemia were negative predictors (P<0.05), and total leukocyte count was a positive predictor for TL (P<0.05). As expected, a negative correlation was found between TL and age (CS, R=-0.400 and controls, R=-0.292; P<0.05). No correlation was found between circulating cortisol, duration of exposure to hypercortisolism or biochemical cure and TL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though in the cross-sectional comparison of CS and controls no difference in TL was found, in the longitudinal evaluation, patients with active CS had shorter TL than after biochemical cure of hypercortisolism. These preliminary results suggest that hypercortisolism might negatively impact telomere maintenance. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain aaulinasm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aulinas
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barahona
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valassi
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Resmini
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eugènia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mato
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Surrallés
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology/Medicine DepartmentsSant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei d'Endocrinologia, C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 745), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentHospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, SpainCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER Unit 747)ISCIII, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainEndocrinology DepartmentCenter for Biomedical Network Research on Bioenginnering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*