Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40619637›Full record

ArticleAging cell2025

Telomere Length, Epigenetic Age Acceleration, and Mortality Risk in US Adult Populations: An Additive Bayesian Network Analysis.

May A Beydoun, Nicole Noren Hooten, Nigus G Asefa, Michael F Georgescu, Minkyo Song, Hind A Beydoun, Sri Banerjee, Jagdish Khubchandani, Osorio Meirelles, Lenore J Launer and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Aging cell, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

May A BeydounLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1050-4523
Nicole Noren HootenLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1683-3838
Nigus G AsefaLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Michael F GeorgescuLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2619-2675
Minkyo SongLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9412-2871
Hind A BeydounVA National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Sri BanerjeePublic Health Doctoral Programs, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Jagdish KhubchandaniCollege of Health, Education and Social Transformation, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9058-4278
Osorio MeirellesLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Lenore J LaunerLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3238-7612
Michele K EvansLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Alan B ZondermanLaboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Funding

NIA NIH HHS
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Telomere length and DNA methylation (DNAm) clocks serve as markers of biological aging and have been linked to mortality risk. This study applies additive Bayesian networks (ABNs) to examine associations between DNAm clocks, telomere length, and mortality, with a focus on racial and sex differences in aging. Data from three US cohorts-NHANES (n = 2522), HRS (n = 1029), and HANDLS (n = 92-470)-were analyzed using correlation matrices, Cox models, ABNs, and generalized structural equation models (GSEM) with mortality from the National Death Index. Epigenetic clocks, particularly GrimAgeEAA, HannumAgeEAA, and DunedinPoAM (or DunedinPACE), were stronger mortality predictors than telomere length. ABNs highlighted key relationships, consistently linking age and GrimAgeEAA to mortality in NHANES and HRS. GSEM models derived from ABNs indicated an inverse association between female sex and GrimAgeEAA in NHANES (β = -0.500) and HRS (β = -0.563), suggesting slower biological aging in women, although GrimAge clock incorporates sex in its definition. GrimAgeEAA strongly predicted mortality (LnHR, β ± SE of +0.476 ± 0.0393 in NHANES and +0.511 ± 0.0775 in HRS). Non-Hispanic Black adults exhibited accelerated aging via DunedinPoAM, partially mediating their higher mortality risk. Hispanic adults in NHANES had unique associations with PhenoAgeEAA (β = +0.197), a mortality predictor. DNAm clocks, particularly GrimAgeEAA, outperform telomere length in predicting mortality. Second-generation epigenetic aging markers offer insights into demographic disparities in aging and mortality, with ABNs revealing complex interrelations among aging biomarkers, sex, race, and mortality risk.

Indexed as

AgingEpigenesis, GeneticMortalityTelomereAdultAgedBayes TheoremDNA MethylationFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRisk FactorsUnited Statesadditive Bayesian networksbiological agingepigenetic clocksmortalitytelomere length

Identifiers

PMID40619637
PMCPMC12419851

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.