A novel metabolomic aging score - better than conventional metrics in predicting short-term mortality

INTRODUCTION: Accurate prediction of short-term mortality is crucial for optimizing clinical prognosis and providing treatment decisions. Conventional metrics, including physiological indicators, laboratory indexes and scoring systems, suffer from limitations in comprehensiveness, accuracy, and dynamism. In contrast, the metabolomic aging score, as an emerging biomarker, offers substantial promise in short-term mortality prediction. AREAS COVERED: By integrating multiple metabolites associated with aging and mortality, the score captures dynamic metabolic shifts, providing a real-time reflection of an individual's health status. This approach enables a more precise assessment of short-term mortality risk across diverse diseases, setting it apart from traditional, disease-specific biomarkers. In addition, the metabolic aging score also shows great application prospects in identifying susceptible populations and providing individualized precision medication. This article discusses the novel role of the metabolomic aging score in mortality prediction, highlighting its superior accuracy compared to conventional metrics. EXPERT OPINION: This score has broad application prospects in the future and also faces challenges such as large-scale validation and standardization. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to enhance the clinical utility of the metabolomic aging score, advancing its potential to transform healthcare practices.