Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25770094›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical genetics2015

The heritability of leucocyte telomere length dynamics.

Jacob B Hjelmborg, Christine Dalgård, Soren Möller, Troels Steenstrup, Masayuki Kimura, Kaare Christensen, Kirsten O Kyvik, Abraham Aviv

Open access · bronzeAbstract readTwin Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical genetics, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 112 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
112citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
12.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

112 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 208 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Telomere Length Change in a Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline: A Randomized Clinical Trial.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2021
    Trial
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Genetics Influences Telomere Length in Parkinson's Disease: A Study in Monozygotic Discordant Twins.Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society · 2025
    Article
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  20. Review

52 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Jacob B HjelmborgDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Christine DalgårdDepartment of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Soren MöllerDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Troels SteenstrupDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Masayuki KimuraCenter of Human Development and Aging, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Kaare ChristensenDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Kirsten O KyvikInstitute of Regional Health Services Research, University of Southern Denmark and Odense Patient data Explorative Network (OPEN), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Abraham AvivCenter of Human Development and Aging, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
University of Southern Denmark · DKRutgers, The State University of New Jersey · USOdense University Hospital · DK

Funding

Leukocyte TelomerE Dynamics, Gender, Menopause, Insulin Resistance and SurvivalR01AG030678 · NIA · UNIV OF MED/DENT OF NJ-NJ MEDICAL SCHOOL · PI AVIV, ABRAHAM · 2009 to 2013
$2.2M
NIA NIH HHS AG030678NIA NIH HHS R01 AG030678
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLeucocyte telomere length (LTL) is a complex trait associated with ageing and longevity. LTL dynamics are defined by LTL and its age-dependent attrition. Strong, but indirect evidence suggests that LTL at birth and its attrition during childhood largely explains interindividual LTL variation among adults. A number of studies have estimated the heritability of LTL, but none has assessed the heritability of age-dependent LTL attrition.

methodsWe examined the heritability of LTL dynamics based on a longitudinal evaluation (an average follow-up of 12 years) in 355 monozygotic and 297 dizygotic same-sex twins (aged 19-64 years at baseline).

resultsHeritability of LTL at baseline was estimated at 64% (95% CI 39% to 83%) with 22% (95% CI 6% to 49%) of shared environmental effects. Heritability of age-dependent LTL attrition rate was estimated at 28% (95% CI 16% to 44%). Individually unique environmental factors, estimated at 72% (95% CI 56% to 84%) affected LTL attrition rate with no indication of shared environmental effects.

conclusionsThis is the first study that estimated heritability of LTL and also its age-dependent attrition. As LTL attrition is much slower in adults than in children and given that having a long or a short LTL is largely determined before adulthood, our findings suggest that heritability and early life environment are the main determinants of LTL throughout the human life course. Thus, insights into factors that influence LTL at birth and its dynamics during childhood are crucial for understanding the role of telomere genetics in human ageing and longevity.

Indexed as

LeukocytesTelomere HomeostasisAdultBiometryFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesTelomereTwinsYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID25770094
PMCPMC4413805
OpenAlexW2042981306

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.