A newfound blood biomarker may one day predict longevity

A handful of tiny molecules circulating in the blood may help identify which older adults are most likely to survive the next two years, researchers report February 24 in Aging Cell.

In a study of more than 1,200 people 71 and older, six small RNA molecules in the blood, called piRNAs, predicted short-term survival with up to 86 percent accuracy — better than using age, cholesterol, physical activity or more than 180 other standard health measures.

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