@article {12879, title = {Salivary telomere length and the risks of prediabetes and diabetes among middle-aged and older adults: findings from the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {Acta Diabetologica}, volume = {60}, year = {2023}, pages = {273-283}, abstract = {

AIM: To assess the association of telomere length (TL) with prediabetes/diabetes and to explore the potential factors affecting TL among individuals with prediabetes/diabetes by weight status.

METHODS: This study included 3,379 eligible adults (aged 45-85~years, males: 42\%) from the US Health and Retirement Study in 2008. TL was assayed using quantitative PCR of saliva (T/S ratio). Linear and nonlinear associations between TL and prediabetes/diabetes were assessed using the logistic regression and restricted cubic spline model, respectively, adjusting for TL-plate numbers, age, sex, race, body mass index, lifestyles, diabetes medications, and cardiometabolic parameters (blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and total cholesterol). Multiple linear regression was used for testing any factors associated with TL.

RESULTS: Among 3,379 participants, 868 (25.7\%) had prediabetes with a mean TL of 1.34 {\textpm} 0.37 (T/S ratio) and 858 (25.4\%) had diabetes with a mean TL of 1.36 {\textpm} 0.43 (T/S ratio). Neither linear nor nonlinear association of TL with prediabetes/diabetes was significant by weight status. Age was negatively associated with TL in both normal-weight (β = - 0.002, p = 0.025) and overweight/obese (β = - 0.002, p = 0.006) prediabetes, but non-significant in normal-weight and overweight/obese diabetes. BMI and cardiometabolic parameters were not associated with TL in prediabetes/diabetes by weight status.

CONCLUSIONS: Salivary TL was not associated with prediabetes/diabetes among the US middle-aged and older adults. Further longitudinal studies are required to establish the link between TL and diabetes development and to identify potential factors affecting TL shortening, particularly in normal-weight diabetic patients.

}, keywords = {Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity, Overweight, Prediabetic State, Telomere, Telomere Shortening}, issn = {1432-5233}, doi = {10.1007/s00592-022-02004-9}, author = {Yu, Hong-Jie and Ho, Mandy and Chau, Pui Hing and Geng, Leiluo and Fong, Daniel Yee Tak} }