Improving the prognostic value of multimorbidity through the integration of selected biomarkers to the comprehensive geriatric assessment: An observational retrospective monocentric study

Multimorbidity (MM) burdens individuals and healthcare systems, since it increases polypharmacy, dependency, hospital admissions, healthcare costs, and mortality. Several attempts have been made to determine an operational definition of MM and to quantify its severity. However, the lack of knowledge regarding its pathophysiology prevented the estimation of its severity in terms of outcomes. Polypharmacy and functional impairment are associated with MM. However, it is unclear how inappropriate drug decision-making could affect both conditions. In this context, promising circulating biomarkers and DNA methylation tools have been proposed as potential mortality predictors for multiple age-related diseases. We hypothesize that a comprehensive characterization of patients with MM that includes the measure of epigenetic and selected circulating biomarkers in the medical history, in addition to the functional capacity, could improve the prognosis of their long-term mortality.