Epidemiology: Open Access

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Telomere Length in Children with Acquired Severe Aplastic Anemia

Katarzyna Pawelec, Marek Janiak, Paweł Włodarski and Michał Matysiak

Objective: This study aimed to assess telomere length in children with severe aplastic anemia and to correlate this parameter with the response to immunosuppressive therapy

Method: The study group consisted of 18 children aged with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) treated with rabbit antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporine from one of hematology center. Telomere length was analyzed in all patients and in 20 parents. Control group was composed of 12 healthy children and 12 healthy adults. Telomere length in peripheral blood was assessed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Result: There was statistical significance between telomere length in patients with SAA and healthy children (p=0.03852) as well as in parents of SAA children and adults from control group (p=0.01086). There was no difference concerning response to IST in relation to telomere length (p=0.7859).

Conclusion: Our studies confirmed that pediatric patients with SAA and their parents have shorter telomeres compared to healthy population. The assessment of telomere length in diseases of short telomeres, including aplastic anemia, should be a diagnostic standard. Future studies are necessary to confirm the role of telomere length as an independent prognostic risk factor and a good predictor of prognosis in SAA.