Cognitive impairment, brain ischemia and shorter telomeres are predictors of mortality in the Japanese elderly: A 13-year prospective community-based study.

•Cumulative effect of cognitive impairment and brain ischemic lesions on mortality was revealed in the elderly.•Shorter telomere length predicted the mortality of the elderly.•Telomere length was negatively correlated with the severity of brain ischemic lesions.