Leukocyte telomere length correlates with glucose control in adults with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes

Aims: We investigated leukocyte relative telomere length (TL) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosed for no longer than five years and its association with clinical and biochemical variables.

Methods: Peripheral blood leukocyte relative TL was investigated in 108 patients with T2D (87 women, 21 men) and 125 (37 women, 88 men) age-matched control subjects with normal glucose tolerance, by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between relative TL and demographic, anthropometric and biochemical indicators of metabolic control among patients with T2D.

Results: Patients with T2D had a median time since diagnosis of 1 year and most were on metformin monotherapy, with satisfactory glucose control determined by HbA1c levels. Median relative TL was not different between patients with T2D and control subjects. However, multiple linear regression analyses showed that relative TL was inversely associated with time since T2D diagnosis, fasting plasma glucose levels and HbA1c levels, but not with HbA1c levels assessed in the preceding 5-12 months, after adjustment for age, sex and body mass index.

Conclusion: This study suggests that relative TL is not shorter in patients with recently diagnosed T2D, but is inversely correlated with glucose levels, even among patients with overall satisfactory glucose control.