Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31847916›Full record

ArticleGenome biology2019

Systematic underestimation of the epigenetic clock and age acceleration in older subjects.

Louis Y El Khoury, Tyler Gorrie-Stone, Melissa Smart, Amanda Hughes, Yanchun Bao, Alexandria Andrayas, Joe Burrage, Eilis Hannon, Meena Kumari, Jonathan Mill and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genome biology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 75 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
75citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

75 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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15 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

11 authors.

Louis Y El KhourySchool of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Tyler Gorrie-StoneSchool of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Melissa SmartInstitute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Amanda HughesMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit - University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Yanchun BaoInstitute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Alexandria AndrayasSchool of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Joe BurrageMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Eilis HannonMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Meena KumariInstitute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Jonathan MillMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Leonard C SchalkwykSchool of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK. lschal@essex.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-7030-5756

Funding

A multi-faceted approach to epigenomic profiling in Alzheimer's disorderR01AG036039 · NIA · KING'S COLLEGE LONDON · PI MILL, JONATHAN · 2009 to 2012
$1.7M
Medical Research Council K013807Medical Research Council MR/K013807/1Medical Research Council MR/R005176/1NIA NIH HHS R01 AG036039NIH HHS R01 AG036039
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Horvath epigenetic clock is widely used. It predicts age quite well from 353 CpG sites in the DNA methylation profile in unknown samples and has been used to calculate "age acceleration" in various tissues and environments.

resultsThe model systematically underestimates age in tissues from older people. This is seen in all examined tissues but most strongly in the cerebellum and is consistently observed in multiple datasets. Age acceleration is thus age-dependent, and this can lead to spurious associations. The current literature includes examples of association tests with age acceleration calculated in a wide variety of ways.

conclusionsThe concept of an epigenetic clock is compelling, but caution should be taken in interpreting associations with age acceleration. Association tests of age acceleration should include age as a covariate.

Indexed as

Epigenesis, GeneticAgingBiological ClocksHumansAge accelerationDNA methylationEpigenetic clock

Identifiers

PMID31847916
PMCPMC6915902

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.