Gender and telomere length: systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is widely believed that females have longer telomeres than males, although results from studies have been contradictory.

Methods

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analyses to test the hypothesis that in humans, females have longer telomeres than males and that this association becomes stronger with increasing age. Searches were conducted in EMBASE and MEDLINE (by November 2009) and additional datasets were obtained from study investigators. Eligible observational studies measured telomeres for both females and males of any age, had a minimum sample size of 100 and included participants not part of a diseased group. We calculated summary estimates using random-effects meta-analyses. Heterogeneity between studies was investigated using sub-group analysi

SUBMITTER: Gardner M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4523138 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature