Genetic test could predict life expectancy

A new genetic test could one day be used to let pensioners know how long they are likely to live, it was disclosed today.

Scientists in the United States found that it was possible to predict death risk by looking at the ends of chromosomes.

The discovery could have big implications for life and health insurance, and people's pension entitlements.

Those with lower life expectancies might find it hard to get insurance, but could be rewarded by higher pensions because they would not be drawing them for so long.

The researchers from the University of Utah studied 143 individuals all over the age of 60.

They focused on the telomeres - caps of DNA at the ends of chromosomes.

Telomeres appear to protect and stabilise the chromosome ends, like the tabs on the end of shoe laces which prevent them fraying.

Over time the telomeres shorten and provide less protection, making cells more vulnerable to degenerative age-related diseases.

The US scientists measured telomere length in cells taken from blood samples and compared them to individuals' life spans.

The findings, reported in the Lancet medical

journal, showed that those with the longest telomeres lived the longest.

Those in the top half of the range of telomere lengths lived four to five years longer than those in the bottom half.

People with shorter telomeres had a three-fold increased risk of dying from heart disease and a more than eight-fold increased risk of death from infection.

Dr Richard Cawthorn, who led the study, said: "This is the first research study showing that telomere length is predictive of survival in humans. It supports the hypothesis that telomere shortening is a fundamental process of ageing, contributing to mortality from multiple age-related diseases.

"If this is correct, then it may be possible to extend the duration of healthy adult life using medical interventions that maintain telomere length."

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