Background: Accelerated ageing markers such as telomere length (TL) have been associated with respiratory diseases such as COPD. However, its role has not been deeply studied in the chronic lung disease bronchiectasis. Our aims were: (1) to compare the association of TL with bronchiectasis vs. COPD and controls with normal lung function, and (2) to explore the association of TL with bronchiectasis aetiology and severity.

Methods: Bronchiectasis, COPD patients and healthy volunteers were recruited in 2 tertiary hospitals in Barcelona, Spain. DNA from whole blood was used to quantify TL by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). TL results were adjusted by age, gender and smoking status.

Results: 174 stable bronchiectasis patients, 240 COPD patients and 227 healthy donors were analysed. The mean age of bronchiectasis patients was 69±12 years, 53% were idiopathic and the mean Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI) was 6.8±4.3. The adjusted model showed that bronchiectasis patients have a similar TL to normal lung function controls (p=0.7) and a longer TL than COPD patients (p<0.001). The bronchiectasis aetiology analysis showed that patients with idiopathic bronchiectasis tend to have a decrease in telomere length (p=0.06), but no differences in disease severity were found.

Conclusions: Patients with bronchiectasis do not present a decrease in telomere length compared with controls or COPD patients. A trend to decrease TL in patients with idiopathic bronchiectasis was found. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of TL in the physiopathology of the disease.

Funding: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI21/00419, PI21/00735), Contractes Clínic de recerca Emili Letang-Josep Font 2021 and Serra Hunter Program.