Though predicting an exact day is far from likely, an experimental blood test may be able to tell an individual’s risk of dying in the next five to 10 years.

Researchers in Europe made a predictive tool using data from more than 44,000 individuals ages 18 through 109 years old, 5,500 of whom died during the study period. They identified 14 different substances from participants’ blood samples that were associated with a risk of death — such as blood sugar, lipid particles that transport “bad” cholesterol throughout the body, and albumin, a protein made by the liver that keeps fluid in your bloodstream so it doesn’t leak into tissues. When these substances get higher or lower, they can be indicative of certain health problems, like Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

Using those 14 indicators, the researchers built a model that predicts the likelihood that a person will die in five to 10 years. In a new study published [August 20] in Nature Communications, they report the prediction accuracy was around 83% overall. 

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Eventually, middle-aged and elderly people might get a death predictor test at a routine checkup or when they’re hospitalized to help doctors guide treatment and recommend preventive measures.

Read full, original post: Want to Know When You’ll Die? A New Blood Test May Hold the Answer