Wan ES, Goldstein RL, Fan VS, et al. - Given a relation of shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with decreased health-related quality of life and enhanced risk for acute exacerbations (AEs) and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and an association of enhanced physical activity and exercise capacity with decreased risk for AEs and death, researchers examined the relationships between LTL and physical activity, exercise capacity, and AEs in COPD. Individuals from three COPD cohorts—Cohort 1 (n = 112, physical activity intervention trial), Cohorts 2 and 3 (n = 182 and 294, respectively, separate observational studies)—were made to undergo a 6-minute walk test and provided blood for LTL assessment using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Outcomes revealed an association of increased LTL with higher exercise capacity, but not with physical activity, among COPD patients. A subgroup of cohorts showed association of shorter LTL with AEs.