title: Leukocyte telomere length and diabetes status, duration, and control: the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies investigating the association between telomere length and diabetes have been inconsistent, and there are few data available investigating the associations of telomere length with diabetes duration and control. We evaluated the relationship of leukocyte telomere length with diabetes, and the relationship of leukocyte telomere length with diabetes duration and poor glucose control among people with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the US civilian non-institutionalized population. In 3921 participants, leukocyte telomere length was measured and diabetes status was determined based on a previous diagnosis, hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5 %, or fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds ratios (95 % confidence intervals) of diabetes associated with the first, second, and third quartile of leukocyte telomere length, compared to the highest quartile, was 2.09 (1.46-2.98), 1.74 (1.30-2.31), and 1.08 (0.76-1.54), respectively (p-trend < 0.01), in unadjusted models and 0.74 (0.48-1.14), 0.91 (0.61-1.34), and 0.87 (0.59-1.29), respectively (p-trend = 0.20), in multivariable adjusted models. Among participants with diabetes, unadjusted and adjusted leukocyte telomere length was not associated with diabetes duration or glucose control based on an hemoglobin A1c < 7 or < 8 % (all p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study of the US general population, leukocyte telomere length was not associated with diabetes status, diabetes duration, or diabetes control.
authors.affiliation: Social & Scientific Systems, Inc, 8757 Georgia Avenue, 12th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA. amenke@s-3.com.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menke
authors.affiliation: Social & Scientific Systems, Inc, 8757 Georgia Avenue, 12th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA. scasagrande@s-3.com.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casagrande
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Rm 691, MSC 5460, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. CowieC@extra.niddk.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Catherine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cowie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin