RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment is a transition stage between normal aging and dementia, the prevalence of last one increases with age; the damage of the functions and physical integrity, places the older adult in a greater susceptibility to get sick. Telomere length is a hallmark of aging to characterize this phenotype, as well as a biomarker that reflects the underlying state of the cell. In this work, the relative length of telomeres in older adults with cognitive impairment was correlated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational-analytical study, in samples of adult patients older than 65 years with and without cognitive impairment, in whom the relative length of telomeres was measured. RESULTS: Ninety samples of older adults were included in the study and in the association analysis according to multivariate logistic models, cognitive impairment showed almost five times more risk for telomere shortening in relation to the presence of the diagnosis of cognitive impairment (Odds ratio 4.88, p=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: When correlating the relative length of telomeres in older adults diagnosed with cognitive impairment, this association was confirmed for shorter.