Telomere Length in Interstitial Lung Diseases

The results show telomere shortening across all ILD diagnoses. The difference in TL between the FIP-TERT and FIP-SFTP groups indicates the distinction between acquired and innate telomere shortening. Short TL in the IPF and FIP-no mutation groups is indicative of an innate telomere-biology defect, while a stress-induced, acquired telomere shortening might be the underlying process for the other ILD diagnoses.