Telomere Length as an Indicator of Lifestyle-Related Biological Aging in Hypertensive Adults: A Pilot Exploratory Study

BackgroundMultiple epidemiological studies have given a global perspective that hypertension leads to changes in telomere length (TL). This study aimed to investigate the association between leukocyte telomere length and lifestyle factors among individuals with hypertension, a family history of the disease and healthy controls. MethodsThis pilot exploratory cross-sectional study included 45 participants (n = 15 per group) divided into hypertensive, familial hypertensive, and control groups. Lifestyle behaviors were assessed using the FANTASTIC Lifestyle Checklist, evaluating domains such as physical activity, diet, sleep, and stress. Relative telomere length (T/S ratio) of leucocytes was measured from peripheral blood samples using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Data were analyzed using SPSS software, with ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and multivariable linear regression applied for statistical analysis. ResultsRelative telomere length differed significantly among the study groups (p = 0.008), with hypertensive participants demonstrating the highest median telomere-to-single-copy gene (T/S) ratio (2.66), followed by familial hypertensive (1.25) and control participants (0.87). Total lifestyle scores also varied significantly across groups (p < 0.001), with hypertensive individuals exhibiting higher mean scores (77.07 {+/-} 5.59) than familial hypertensive (67.20 {+/-} 3.00) and control participants (67.07 {+/-} 5.97). A modest positive correlation was observed between total lifestyle score and relative telomere length (r = 0.329, p < 0.05), suggesting that healthier lifestyle behaviors in diagnosed hypertensive subjects following healthy lifestyles and regular medications were associated with longer telomeres. However, in multivariable linear regression analyses, lifestyle score, age, gender, hypertension status, and family history of hypertension were not independently associated with telomere length (all p > 0.05). ConclusionLifestyle scores were positively associated with telomeres, and significantly higher telomere ratios in hypertensive subjects suggest complex biological interactions that require further investigation through larger longitudinal studies in the target population.