Assesment of the relation between senescence, disase severity and carotis artery variations among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disase

Senescence is the increase risk of disease or death due to progressive break down of homeostasis. Telomeresacts as a protective cap and prevent loss of critical DNA and chromosome fusion during cell division. Telomere shortening occurs at each cellular division but is counteracted by telomerase. We aimed to research in this study serum telomerase activity which related with cellular senescence, inflammation markers, skin elasticity and intima-media thickness of arteria carotis communis and discuss the differences from normal aging. Forty-four COPD patients (aged 60.4±7.51 years) and 42 control subjects (aged 57.9±8.23 years) from Adnan Menderes University Hospital Chest Disease outpatient clinic. Pulmonary function tests, SGRQ, CAT, mMRC respiratory questionnaires were performed to the all study subjects. Fasting blood samples were taken for telomerase, Nrf2, surfactant protein-D, LDL, HDL, triglyceride and vitamin-D and Doppler ultrasonography examination was performed for arteria carotis communis intima-media thickness. Skin elasticity was assessed by MPA-5 probe measuring skin elasticity. The results were for Nrf2 (4,84 pg/mL ve 13,77 pg/mL), surfactant protein-D (1908,64 pg/mL ve 1577,72 pg/mL), telomerase (25,39 pg/mL ve 34,13 pg/mL) and Vitamin D (31,98 ng/mL ve 54,26 ng/mL) in COPD and control group, respectively (p<0.01). The thickness of carotis intima-media was found to be statistically significant in COPD (p=0.02). Skin elasticity, serum LDL, HDL, triglyceride and TSH were not significantly difference between the two groups. As a conclusion, the endotypic and phenotypic characteristics due to aging was found to be more prominent in COPD and the vicious cycle between inflammation and aging may further deteriorate the disease conditions.