Biomarkers reveal short-term risk of death

Researchers from Finland and Estonia have discovered novel biological markers that indicate an individual’s risk of dying from any disease in the near future.

The first-of-its-kind study was a collaboration between the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, National Institute for Health and Welfare, University of Oulu, University of Eastern Finland and the Estonian Biobank. The results have been published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

Using a special method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, developed by the Universities of Oulu and Eastern Finland, blood samples from over 17,000 generally healthy people were screened for 106 different biomarkers. The health status of the study volunteers was followed for several years, with the researchers looking for measures in the blood that could reflect who had died within the first five years.

Four biomarkers were identified: levels of two proteins (albumin and alpha-1 acidic glycoprotein), lipid metabolism variables (size of large lipoprotein particles responsible for lipid metabolism in the body) and citric acid concentration. Of these, albumin was the only one previously linked with mortality. All these molecules are normally present in everyone’s blood, but it is the amount of these molecules that was shown to be important.

“All four biomarkers were predictive of cardiovascular mortality, as well as death from cancer and other nonvascular diseases,” the researchers stated. The biomarkers were independent of known mortality risk factors such as age, smoking, alcohol use, cholesterol, obesity and blood pressure. The result did not change even when only apparently healthy persons were examined.

“What is especially interesting is that these biomarkers reflect the risk for dying from very different types of diseases such as heart disease or cancer,” said Dr Johannes Kettunen from the University of Helsinki. “They seem to be signs of a general frailty in the body. Next we aim to study whether some kind of connecting factor between these biomarkers can be identified.”

Further investigations are required to clarify the utility of the results for screening and prevention, but Dr Kettunen believes that “in the future these measures can be used to identify people who appear healthy but in fact have serious underlying illnesses and guide them to proper treatment”.