Smoking, telomere length and lung function decline: a longitudinal population-based study.

Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journal:
BMJ – Thorax

Size of study:
448

Summary
Researchers in this study found that smokers with shorter telomere length at baseline had greater rates of pulmonary function decline (as measured in forced exhalation volume or FEV) over the course of the 11 years of this study than smokers that had longer telomeres at baseline. The authors postulate that longer telomeres may confer advantages to smokers against pulmonary function deterioration.

Link to study

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