[Association between telomere length and cognitive impairment in older adults]. / Asociación entre la longitud de los telómeros y deterioro cognitivo en adultos mayores.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment is a transition stage between normal aging and dementia, the prevalence of last one increases with age; the damage of the functions and physical integrity, places the older adult in a greater susceptibility to get sick. Telomere length is a hallmark of aging to characterize this phenotype, as well as a biomarker that reflects the underlying state of the cell. In this work, the relative length of telomeres in older adults with cognitive impairment was correlated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational-analytical study, in samples of adult patients older than 65 years with and without cognitive impairment, in whom the relative length of telomeres was measured. RESULTS: Ninety samples of older adults were included in the study and in the association analysis according to multivariate logistic models, cognitive impairment showed almost five times more risk for telomere shortening in relation to the presence of the diagnosis of cognitive impairment (Odds ratio 4.88, p=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: When correlating the relative length of telomeres in older adults diagnosed with cognitive impairment, this association was confirmed for shorter.

Asociación entre la longitud de los telómeros y deterioro cognitivo en adultos mayores / Association between telomere length and cognitive impairment in older adults

Introducción: El deterioro cognitivo es una etapa de transición entre el envejecimiento normal y la demencia; la prevalencia de este aumenta con la edad. El deterioro de las funciones e integridad física colocan al adulto mayor en una mayor susceptibilidad de enfermar. La longitud de los telómeros se considera un pilar del envejecimiento para caracterizar este fenotipo; así mismo, es un biomarcador que refleja el estado subyacente de la célula. En este trabajo se correlacionó la longitud relativa de los telómeros en adultos mayores con deterioro cognitivo. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional-analítico en muestras de pacientes de adultos mayores de 65 años sin deterioro cognitivo y con deterioro cognitivo, a los cuales se midió la longitud relativa de los telómeros. Resultados: Se incluyeron en el estudio 90 muestras de adultos mayores, y en el análisis de asociación de acuerdo a modelos logísticos multivariados el deterioro cognitivo mostró casi 5 veces más riesgo para acortamiento de los telómeros en relación con la presencia del diagnóstico de deterioro cognitivo (razón de momios 4,88, p=0,027). Conclusiones: Se realizó la correlación entre la longitud relativa de los telómeros en adultos mayores con diagnóstico de deterioro cognitivo, y se confirmó esta asociación para una menor longitud. (AU)

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is a transition stage between normal aging and dementia, the prevalence of last one increases with age; the damage of the functions and physical integrity, places the older adult in a greater susceptibility to get sick. Telomere length is a hallmark of aging to characterize this phenotype, as well as a biomarker that reflects the underlying state of the cell. In this work, the relative length of telomeres in older adults with cognitive impairment was correlated. Material and methods: Observational-analytical study, in samples of adult patients older than 65 years with and without cognitive impairment, in whom the relative length of telomeres was measured. Results: Ninety samples of older adults were included in the study and in the association analysis according to multivariate logistic models, cognitive impairment showed almost five times more risk for telomere shortening in relation to the presence of the diagnosis of cognitive impairment (Odds ratio 4.88, p=0.027). Conclusions: When correlating the relative length of telomeres in older adults diagnosed with cognitive impairment, this association was confirmed for shorter. (AU)