A pilot study examining the relationship between chronic heroin use and telomere length among individuals of African ancestry

Background: Prior research has suggested a possible link between heroin use and shortened telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging and genomic stability. We sought to replicate these findings by examining the relationship between TL and heroin use among individuals of African ancestry. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined TL among 57 participants [17.5 % female; mean age 48.0 (±6.80) years] of African ancestry with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and a mean heroin use duration of 18.2 (±10.7) years. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to calculate TL as the ratio between telomere repeat copy number (T) and a single-copy gene, copy number (S). The primary dependent variable was TL (T/S Ratio) measured in kilobase pairs. Covariates included heroin use years and personality traits. Using a hybrid approach, multiple linear regression and Bayesian linear regression examined the association of chronological age, heroin use years and personality traits with TL. Results: The multiple linear regression model fit the data well, R² = 0.265, F(7,49) = 2.53, p < .026. Chronological age (β = −0.36, p = .017), neuroticism (β = 0.46, p = .044), and conscientiousness (β = 0.52, p = .040) were significant predictors of TL. Bayesian linear regression provided moderate support for the alternate hypothesis that chronological age and TL are associated, BF¹⁰ = 5.77, R² = 0.120. The posterior summary of the coefficient was M = 0.719 (SD = 0.278, 95 % credible interval [−1.28, −0.163]). Conclusions: Contrary to prior studies, these findings suggest that heroin use duration may not be significantly associated with TL among individuals of African ancestry, highlighting the need for more rigorous research to elucidate the complexity of this relationship.