Association of GDF 15 and Telomere Length of Circulating Leukocytes in Patients with Sleep Apnea

Background: According to the modern paradigm of scientific research in gerontology, preventing and correcting early involutional processes in the sleep-wake pattern requires a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between circulating GDF 15 protein levels, relative telomere length (RTL), and functional outcomes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods and Results: The study involved 60 men with an average age of 50.1±3.3 years. The main group included OSA patients with snoring, apnea, and excessive daytime sleepiness. The control group consisted of 24 men without complaints of sleep disorders, selected according to the "copy-pair" type. The groups were comparable in age and the presence of chronic diseases. The following methods were used: questionnaires, respiratory monitoring, determination of GDF15 content in blood serum by quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay, and RTL using PCR, according to Richard M. Cawthon (2009). A significant negative correlation was found between the blood level of GDF 15 and RTL (r=-0.552, P=0.000), and a direct correlation between GDF15 and the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) (r=0.253, P=0.033). Conclusion: Our results allow us to expand the possibilities of preventing and correcting premature aging by influencing the trigger factors of the pathological process that lead to a cascade of metabolic disorders and early aging of the cell and, subsequently, to age-related structural and functional disorders in the body.