Shorter telomeres in Fontan circulation, especially with systemic right ventricles
In this case-control study, children and young people with Fontan circulation had shorter leukocyte telomeres than controls, an accelerated biological aging pattern that was more pronounced with systemic right ventricles and adverse hemodynamics. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The Fontan cohort (N=90, median age 14.90 years) had shorter leukocyte telomeres than controls (N=59, median age 15.20 years), with a telomeric DNA to single-copy gene ratio of 1.04 versus 1.13 (P=0.021). [1]
Within the Fontan group, patients with systemic right ventricles had shorter telomeres (ratio 1.02 versus 1.05; P=0.047), and lower superior vena cava saturation, lower cardiac index and higher systemic vascular resistance were associated with shorter telomeres. [1]
At a median follow-up of 13.07 months, 46.7% of patients with telomere loss (>50 bp/y) had an increase in comorbidities versus 20.5% of those with no change or an increase in telomere length. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Case-control study (abstract)
- Population / context
- Children and young people with Fontan circulation (N=90) and controls (N=59).
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 9, 2026
Fontan cohort versus controls, telomere length
The study asked whether biological aging, measured as leukocyte telomere length, differs in people with Fontan circulation, a severe form of congenital heart disease. Median age was 14.90 years in the Fontan group (N=90) and 15.20 years in controls (N=59). Telomeres were shorter in the Fontan group: the telomeric DNA to single-copy gene ratio was 1.04 versus 1.13 in controls (P=0.021).
Supporting source [1]
Systemic right ventricle and hemodynamics linked to shorter telomeres
Within the Fontan group, patients with a systemic right ventricle had shorter telomeres than those without (ratio 1.02 versus 1.05; P=0.047). Lower superior vena cava oxygen saturation, lower cardiac index and higher systemic vascular resistance were each associated with shorter telomeres. These are associations, not evidence that these factors cause telomere shortening.
Supporting source [1]
Comorbidity increase over short follow-up in Fontan patients
At a median follow-up of 13.07 months, 46.7% of patients with telomere loss (more than 50 base pairs per year) experienced an increase in comorbidities, compared with 20.5% of those with no change or an increase in telomere length. The abstract does not report a P value for this comparison. The authors suggest that understanding accelerated biological aging could support future therapies, but no treatment is tested here.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. This is a case-control study with a small control group (N=59) and a short median follow-up (13.07 months). Findings are associations, not causal; no therapy was tested.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Woo JP, Vincent AGB, Kushwaha A, Gan S, Ichimura S, Egorova AD, Veldtman GR, Wyss-Coray T, Le Guen Y, Reddy S. · europepmc.org · September 9, 2026