Telomere length in patients with osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Telomere length (TL) as a biomarker of aging was associated with many age-related diseases. The relationship between TL and osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of joint diseases, had been investigated in a number of studies, but with the result inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the relationship between TL and OA. Until January 1, 2021, PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were comprehensively retrieved for relevant literatures. Quality of included literature was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) assessment scale. The pooled standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of Leukocytes TL was calculated using random-effect model. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to investigate the potential source of heterogeneity. Six original studies containing 678 OA patients and 1457 healthy controls were included in this meta-analysis. All six included studies were case–control designed. Pooled results showed that patients with OA had a shorter TL in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) compared with healthy controls, (SMD = − 0.32, 95% CI − 0.57 to − 0.06, Z = − 2.45, P = 0.014). Subgroup and meta-regression analysis showed that sex ratio and body mass index (BMI) were possible sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was not observed. The TL of PBLs in patients with OA was shorter than that of healthy controls, suggesting that PBLs TL may be closely associated with the pathogenesis and progression of OA.