Association between telomere length and intima-media thickness of both common carotid arteries in patients with coronary heart disease: From the CORDIOPREV randomized controlled trial

Background and aims: A critical telomere length (TL) is associated with cardiovascular mortality. Dietary habits have been demonstrated to affect cardiovascular risk. However, it remains unclear how exactly TL determines the response to specific dietary approaches in the reduction of arterial injury. We aimed to evaluate whether TL was associated with the progression of arterial injury (assessed by intima-media thickness of both common carotid arteries: IMT-CC), after long-term consumption of two healthy dietary models in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: From the 1002 CHD patients of the CORDIOPREV study, 903 completed IMT-CC and TL evaluation at baseline and were randomized to follow a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet for 5 years. Results: Patients at risk of short TL (TL < 20th percentile) presented an elevated IMT-CC, (0.79 +/- 0.17 vs patients at non-risk 0.74 +/- 0.17 p < 0.001). TL and IMT-CC showed an inverse association (beta =-0.035, p = 0.002). Patients who consumed a Mediterranean diet, regardless of the risk of short TL, showed a significant decrease in IMT-CC, with a higher reduction in those patients with risk of short TL (-0.03 +/- 0.11, p = 0.036). TL (beta = 0.019, p = 0.024), age (beta =-0.001, p = 0.031), energy intake (beta =-0.000, p = 0.036), use of statins (beta =-0.027, p = 0.028) and allocation into the Mediterranean diet (vs low-fat diet) (beta =-0.024, p = 0.003) were significant contributors to changes in IMT-CC. Conclusions: Patients who had a reduced TL exhibited a greater decrease in IMT-CC after consuming a Mediterranean diet.

Automated summary

In this study, the association between telomere length (TL) and the progression of arterial injury in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) was evaluated. It was found that patients with shorter TL had higher intima-media thickness of common carotid arteries (IMT-CC), while patients who followed a Mediterranean diet showed a significant decrease in IMT-CC, especially those with higher TL risk.