Shorter leukocyte telomere length and greater LTL attrition tied to cystic fibrosis severity

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is marked by chronic airway inflammation and premature aging, but the link with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as a marker of biological aging remains unclear. A growing body of research shows an association between telomere shortening and chronic, age-related respiratory diseases. Patients with chronic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) all exhibit shorter telomeres compared to age-matched controls.

"We hypothesized that CF patients with more severe disease characteristics exhibit shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and greater LTL attrition."

In conclusion, in CF patients, more severe disease characteristics were associated with shorter LTL, potentially accelerating aging and increasing susceptibility to age-related diseases. These effects likely begin in childhood, highlighting the importance of early CF diagnosis and timely therapeutic intervention.

Source:

Aging-US

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