The length of the protective 'hoods' at the end of chromosomes (DNA), the telomeres, can determine the risk of death from Covid in women. It has been seen by research carried out at the Carlos III Health Institute that was presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), which suggests that shorter telomeres, a characteristic of aging, may influence the severity of Covid -19 and the risk of dying from the disease, especially in women.
"We have observed that the shortening of telomeres, especially in women over 65 years of age, has an effect on the risk of death, increasing it", say Ana Virseda-Berdices, Amanda Fernández-Rodríguez and M.
Ángeles Jiménez-Sousa, authors of the work.
"Our findings show the role of telomere length in mortality from Covid-19 and highlight its potential as a predictor of death and serious illness, particularly in older women," says Virseda Berdices.
"We consider -they say- that it could be a useful marker in the clinic".
Telomeres shorten throughout life. Its length is often used as a measure of cell age. Shorter telomeres are associated with a number of age-related diseases, including cancer and osteoarthritis, as well as an increased risk of developing infections.
Consider that telomere length may be a useful marker in the clinic
In addition to aging, explained Virseda Berdices, "telomere dysfunction is also associated with smoking, poor diet, a higher body mass index and other factors that even favor oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and cancer."
Given the importance of telomere length in cellular health and aging, it is critical to understand telomere dynamics in Covid-19 infection.
The authors assure that the length of the telomere has been studied in different diseases, such as cardiovascular -coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis-, type II diabetes, cerebrovascular accident, and also with an increased risk of infections, and some investigations have seen "an association between shorter telomere length and increased risk of hospitalization due to infection.”
In this study, we analyzed the association between relative telomere length (RTL) at the beginning of confinement and mortality from Covid-19 in 608 hospitalized adults with Covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic (March to September 2020). .
Blood murders will be recognized within 20 days of diagnosis or hospitalization of Covid-19. In addition, genetic analysis with PCR was performed to measure the length of telomeres in blood cells.
There are several techniques to measure telomeres, he explains, and PCR, today, "is within the reach of any hospital."
The researchers calculated survival probabilities and used models to explore the association between relative telomere longevity and mortality, taking into account patient characteristics such as age, gender, smoking, and associated diseases.
Having a longer relative telomere length was associated with a 70% lower risk of dying from Covid-19 in all women at 30 days, and 76% at 90 days
Of the patients included in the investigation, 533 survived (mean age 67 years, 58% men, 73% white, 24% Hispanic) and 75 died from Covid-19 (mean age 78 years, 67% men, 77% white). and 21% Spanish).
The analysis found that in all patients, relative telomere length was significantly inversely associated with death from Covid-19 for 30 and 90 days after hospitalization. In other words, they explain, it means that having shorter telomeres is associated with an increased risk of death and longer telomeres with a reduction in said risk of death.
When the data was analyzed by age and gender, the researchers found that having a longer relative telomere length was associated with a 70% lower risk of dying from Covid-19 in all women at 30 days, and 76% at 90 days.
Similarly, the study that in women over 65 years of age, a longer relative telomere length is associated with a 78% lower risk of death from Covid-19 at 30 days and 81% lower at 90 days .
However, we will not find significant differences in the relative length of telomeres between men who survived Covid-19 and those who died causing confinement.
The authors acknowledge that this is an observational study and does not prove cause and effect and that, moreover, during the first wave of the pandemic, this may limit the conclusions that can be drawn.
In this case, Virseda Berdices points out, although we do not know the reasons for the strong association found in women, "it is possible that the absence of association between the length of telomeres and mortality from Covid-19 in men is discussed to the increase of comorbidities and risk factors in these that masked the effect”.
Because, he adds, patients are likely to have less severe disease and, therefore, "more likely to survive Ovid-19, probably due to fewer risk factors and lifestyle comorbidities than men."
