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Biological Aging Offers Clues to Long-Term Health After Fontan Surgery
Key Takeaways
- A Stanford Cardiovascular Institute team led by Sushma Reddy compared 90 people with Fontan circulation to 59 people with normal heart structure and function, most of them adolescents.
- The study examined telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, as a marker of biological aging.
- Findings pointed to shorter telomeres even at young ages in the Fontan group, echoing patterns seen in cancer, kidney disease and heart disease.
- Biological age reflects the condition and function of cells and tissues, shaped by genetics, lifestyle, environment and disease, and can run ahead of chronological age.
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DT Editorial Team··via medicalxpress.com