Coffee drinking and leukocyte telomere length: A meta-analysis

Bella Kotlyar1,2, Rashmi Sinha1, Neal D. Freedman1, Erikka Loftfield1

Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
1

2
Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT

OBJECTIVE RESULTS METHODS

To explore the association between leukocyte  Study population
telomere length and overall coffee consumption Table 2: Participant characteristics by tertile of coffee intake - Prostate: 1,574 non-Hispanic white men, aged 55-74, selected for
Higher previously conducted case-control studies nested in the PLCO
BACKGROUND Cancer Screening Trial
- Gastric: 238 participants, aged 55-74, selected for previously
Higher conducted case-control studies nested in the PLCO Cancer
51% of Americans Coffee Screening Trial

Lower  Assessment of coffee intake: self-administered FFQ

over the age of 20  Laboratory analysis: quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction
(PCR)-based assay used to measure relative telomere length
drink coffee every day Table 3: Heavier coffee consumption is associated with higher odds of longer telomere length  Statistical analysis: multivariable unconditional logistic regression
models used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals
(CI) for categorized levels of coffee consumption
- Subgroup analyses
- Tests for heterogeneity and p-trends

CONCLUSIONS
Coffee consumption  Coffee drinking appears to be directly associated with likelihood of
has been associated having relatively long telomere length among the prostate case-control
Endometrial cancer study sample.
with lower risk of… Liver cancer
Table 4: Odds ratios for heavy vs. no coffee intake and longer telomere length by participant characteristics  A statistically significant association was not found within the gastric
Type 2 diabetes
Parkinson’s disease OR (95% CI) case-control study. This study sample may not be sufficiently powered to
Mortality Overall
OVERALL 1.68 (1.12, 2.51) detect an association.

Case/Control Status
Case/Control Status DISCUSSION
Case
Case 1.45 (0.76, 2.77) Our overall OR findings are consistent with those in the Nurses’ Health
Control
Control 1.87 (1.11, 3.15) Study population (Liu, Crous-Bou et al., 2016)
Sex
Sex
Male
- However, they found a significant p-trend of 0.02, vs. our 0.24.
Male 1.64 (1.10, 2.45) - Our results may change as we add data from the remaining studies.
AgeAgegroup (y)
group (y)
≤59
<=59 1.33 (0.62, 2.87) Strengths
60 to6464
60 to 1.25 (0.65, 2.40) - Consideration of multiple study populations for analysis of
≥65
>=65 3.24 (1.29, 8.14) association
BMI BMI
category
category(kg/m
(kg/m2)
2
) - Detailed adjustment for smoking and other potential confounders
<25
<25 1.86 (0.84, 4.11) - Blood samples used to measure telomere length were drawn at
25
25 to 30
to 30 1.55 (0.87, 2.77) randomization of PLCO when participants were cancer-free
≥30
>=30
1.40 (0.60, 3.23) Limitations
Telomere length has Smoking status
Smoking Status
1.29 (0.75, 2.21)
- Cross-sectional design
Never
Never
been associated with
Former
Former 2.15 (1.05, 4.37)
- Small sample size of gastric study
diseases such as type
Current
Current 0.75 (0.08, 7.46)
- Modest statistical power to test interactions
2 diabetes and several
AlcoholAlcohol
consumption
consumption(drinks/day)
(drinks/day)
types of cancers, NEXT STEPS
None
None 1.19 (0.54, 2.64)
but…  We are awaiting data from the following already-approved case-control
<1
<1
2.17 (1.20, 3.93)
… it’s complicated. 1 to1-33
1.51 (0.27, 8.55) studies: Non Hodgkin's lymphoma, lung and renal cancer, and glioma.
>=3≥3 0.96 (0.25, 3.67)
Some studies show
Physical activity
Physical (hours/week)
Activity (hours/week)
 As a secondary objective, we plan to observe if/how healthy lifestyle
shorter telomeres (i.e. high Healthy Eating Index score, normal BMI, more physical
None
None 0.92 (0.29, 2.93)
associated with <1 activity) modify the relationship between leukocyte telomere length and
<1 1.20 (0.43, 3.40)
increased risk for overall coffee consumption.
11to
to 22 1.98 (0.91, 4.34)
disease, and some ≥3
>=3 hrs/week 1.99 (1.06, 3.75)
show the opposite.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
0.25
0.25 0.5
0.5 11 2.5
2.5 55 10
10
Thank you to The Office of Intramural Training & Education, DCEG, NCI.