No one can predict when they die. The question is if you could know, would you want to? A new study in Jerusalem may have found a new way to predict mortality in seniors.
Could There Be a New Way to Predict Mortality in Seniors?
Researchers have developed a method to find the “age” of a patients’ immune system. The immune system’s age could predict mortality in older adults.
The Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) said the immune age is a kind of biological clock that will help identify an early weakening of the immune system.
This could help create preventive measures to reduce disease and mortality.
In the study, the Technion scientists were able to determine the changes in the immune system that happens over the years.
In 9 years, they checked the immune systems of 135 healthy people of different ages once a year. From this information, they built a model that figures out the changes in a specific person.
The data allowed researchers to determine the immune age in an index called “IMM-AGE score.” This index gives info that biological age can’t.
Using this method, the team determined the age of over 2,000 seniors.
They may also be able to figure out genes that affect the immune system’s age. They could even identify lifestyle, habits, and medications that affect the immune system’s “age.”
Immune systems getting older means that people aren’t able to handle infections and have a higher risk of chronic diseases.
Read more here.