Lung function helped a wear-and-tear score predict death
An observational study of 8,775 adults in Austria, followed for an average 7.7 years, found better death prediction when a wear-and-tear score included lung function.
7.7 years
Limit: The analysis covered only adults in Austria aged 25–82
Stake: AstraZeneca funded the study. Chiesi Farmaceutici funded the study. Authors also declare ties to 1 more company.
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers analyzed 8,775 Austrian LEAD cohort participants aged 25–82, 52% female, in an observational study. They compared two allostatic load scores—measures of the body’s wear and tear from adapting to stress. One used 12 measures covering cardiovascular and metabolic health, inflammation, body composition and bone density, plus points for certain medications. The other added two lung function measures of how much air participants could forcefully breathe out.
Over an average 7.7 years, 327 participants died. Higher scores were associated with a greater risk of death after accounting for age and sex. Models using the score with lung function performed better at predicting death than models using the score without it. Both versions of the score increased with age and were higher in males across all age groups.
Why it matters
The work addresses how to measure the body’s wear and tear across the lifespan when assessing the risk of death.
Caveats
The observational design cannot show that lowering the score would extend life. The analysis included only participants in Austria aged 25–82 with usable lung measurements and complete score data.
- Modeling and theory
- Lung function
- Allostatic load score
- Allostatic load score with lung function
- Allostatic load score without lung function
- Humans
The paper
Integration of lung function in allostatic load scoring and its impact on mortality prediction
Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Wien
Scientific Reports, May 6, 2026, Open access
