Telomere attrition, kidney function, and prevalent chronic kidney disease in the United States

// Moshen Mazidi 1,2 , Peyman Rezaie 1,2 , Adriac Covic 3 , Jolanta Malyszko 4 , Jacek Rysz 5 , Andre Pascal Kengne 6 and Maciej Banach 7,8 1 Key State Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China 2 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, International College, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China 3 Nephrology Clinic, Parhon University Hospital, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania 4 Department of Nephrology and Hypertension with Dialysis Unit, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland 5 Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego, Lodz, Poland 6 Non-Communicable Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa 7 Department of Hypertension, Chair of Nephrology and Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland 8 Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute (PMMHRI), Lodz, Poland Correspondence to: Mohsen Mazidi, email: // Keywords : telomere(definition) length, kidney function, glomerular filtration rate, national health and nutrition examination survey, albumin-creatinine ratio, Gerotarget Received : February 13, 2017 Accepted : May 06, 2017 Published : September 08, 2017 Abstract Background: Telomere length is an emerging novel biomarker of biologic age, cardiovascular risk and chronic medical conditions. Few studies have focused on the association between telomere length (TL) and kidney function. Objective: We investigated the association between TL and kidney function/prevalent chronic kidney disease (CKD) in US adults. Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants with measured data on kidney function and TL from 1999 to 2002 were included. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was based on CKD Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Urinary albumin excretion was assessed using urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR). We used multivariable adjusted linear and logistic regression models, accounting for the survey design and sample weights. Results: Of the 10568 eligible participants, 48.0% ( n =5020) were men. Their mean age was 44.1 years. eGFR significantly decreased and ACR significantly increased across increasing quarters of TL (all p <0.001). The association between TL and kidney function remained robust even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, but the association between TL and ACR was only borderline significant (β-coefficient= -0.012, p =0.056). Conclusion: The association of kidney function with a marker of cellular senescence(definition) suggests an underlying mechanism influencing the progression of nephropathy.