SynthesisPloS one2013
Association between telomere length and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 121 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
121 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of exhaustive and/or strenuous exercise on aging-related molecular and physiological biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Biogerontology · 2026Pooled it
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy and newborn telomere length (TL): a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Pooled it
- Alcohol use disorder is associated with DNA methylation-based shortening of telomere length and regulated by TESPA1: implications for aging.Molecular psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- Telomere Length and Pediatric Obesity: A Review.Genes · 2021Pooled it
- Loci for human leukocyte telomere length in the Singaporean Chinese population and trans-ethnic genetic studies.Nature communications · 2019Pooled it
- Basal cortisol, cortisol reactivity, and telomere length: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2019Pooled it
- Early life adversity and telomere length: a meta-analysis.Molecular psychiatry · 2018Pooled it
- The impact of hypertension on leukocyte telomere length: a systematic review and meta-analysis of human studies.Journal of human hypertension · 2017Pooled it
- Association between telomere length and diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis.The Journal of international medical research · 2016Pooled it
- Perceived stress and telomere length: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and methodologic considerations for advancing the field.Brain, behavior, and immunity · 2016Pooled it
- Depression and telomere length: A meta-analysis.Journal of affective disorders · 2016Pooled it
- Leucocyte telomere length and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2014Pooled it
- Leucocyte telomere length and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: new prospective cohort study and literature-based meta-analysis.PloS one · 2014Pooled it
- The effects of aspirin and N-3 fatty acids on telomerase activity in adults with diabetes mellitus.Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD · 2020Trial
- Weight Loss Maintenance and Cellular Aging in the Supporting Health Through Nutrition and Exercise Study.Psychosomatic medicine · 2018Trial
- Meditation and vacation effects have an impact on disease-associated molecular phenotypes.Translational psychiatry · 2016Trial
- Leukocyte telomere length and risk of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in high-risk Chinese patients with hypertension under 65 years.GeroScience · 2026Observational
- The Association of Ramadan Fasting on Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies · 2026Article
- Telomeric autophagy in human health, aging, and diseases.Frontiers in molecular biosciences · 2026Review
- Article
61 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSeveral epidemiological studies have examined the association between shortened telomere length and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), while the results remained conflicting. We conducted a meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship between them.
methodsWe systematically reviewed the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for all studies on the association between telomere length and T2DM. We conducted this study assessed by STATA 11.0. Data were summarized using random-effects or fixed-effects meta-analysis. The heterogeneity and publication bias among studies were examined by using χ(2)-based Q statistic test and Egger's test, respectively.
resultsNine cohorts consisting of 5759 cases and 6518 controls were selected into the meta-analysis. The results indicated that shortened telomere length was significantly associated with T2DM risk (OR: 1.291; 95% CI: 1.112, 1.498; P<0.001) with heterogeneity (I(2) = 71.6%). When three cohorts responsible for the heterogeneity were excluded, the pooled OR for the remaining cohorts indicated a significant association between shortened telomere length and T2DM (OR: 1.117; 95% CI: 1.002, 1.246; P = 0.045) without heterogeneity.
conclusionWe found a statistically significant association between shortened telomere length and T2DM.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.