A simple blood test to measure inflammation in the body could help to predict whether someone will be alive within the next five years, it is claimed.
The researchers say that a marker in the blood could detect the likelihood of cancer and chronic heart disease, along with a range of other serious conditions. Singh-Manoux from University College London led the team that looked at data from 1997 to 1999 and covered more than 6545 people between 45 and 69 years old.
The scientists followed the health trajectories of these people to see who had died up until 2015. A handful of infl ammation markers were considered. These included interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and also alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. In previous research, scientists found 1-acid glycoprotein to be a “strong predictor” of death within fi ve years. However, the latest results suggest that interleukin is the strongest predictor of death. The paper was published at the end of last year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
