System for predicting future health

A method of predicting an individual's health comprising:

• collecting a plurality of biomarker values from an individual, wherein at least one of said biomarker values is obtained by physically measuring the biomarker value;
• and
• applying a statistical procedure to said plurality of biomarker values so as:
• (i) to classify said individual as having a prescribed high probability of acquiring a specified biological condition within a specified time period or age interval or as having a prescribed low probability of acquiring the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• or
• (ii) to estimate quantitatively for said individual the probability of acquiring the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• wherein said statistical procedure is based on:
• (1) collecting a database of longitudinally-acquired biomarker values from individual members of a test population, subpopulation D of said members being identified as having acquired the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval and a subpopulation D being identified as not having acquired the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• (2) selecting from said biomarkers a subset of biomarkers for discriminating between members belonging to the subpopulations D and D, wherein the subset of biomarker is selected based on distributions of the biomarker values of the individual members of the test population;
• and
• (3) using the distributions of the selected biomarkers to develop said statistical procedure;
• wherein changes in said longitudinally-acquired biomarkers values are used to develop said statistical procedure.

A computer-based system for predicting an individual's future health comprising:

• (a) a computer comprising a processor containing a plurality of biomarker values from an individual;
• and
• (b) a computer program that includes steps for applying a statistical procedure to said plurality of biomarker values so as:
• (i) to classify said individual as having a prescribed high probability of acquiring a specified biological condition within a specified time period or age interval or as having a prescribed low probability of acquiring the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• or
• (ii) to estimate quantitatively for said individual the probability of acquiring the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• wherein said statistical procedure is based on:
• (1) collecting a database of longitudinally-acquired biomarker values from individual members of a test population, subpopulation D of said members being identified as having acquired the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval and a subpopulation D being identified as not having acquired the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• (2) selecting from said biomarkers a subset of biomarkers for discriminating between members belonging to the subpopulations D and D, wherein the subset of biomarkers is selected based on distributions of the biomarker values of the individual members of the test population;
• and
• (3) using the distributions of the selected biomarkers to develop said statistical procedure;
• wherein changes in said longitudinally-acquired biomarker values are used to develop said statistical procedure.

An apparatus for assessing an individual's risk of future health problems comprising:

• (a) a stooge device for storing a plurality of biomarker values from an individual;
• and
• (b) a processor coupled to the storage device and programmed:
• 1) to receive from the storage device said plurality of biomarker values;
• and
• 2) to apply a statistical procedure to said plurality of biomarker values so as:
• (i) to classify said individual as belonging within a subpopulation PD having a prescribed high probability of acquiring a specified biological condition within a specified time period or age interval or as belonging within a subpopulation PD having a prescribed low probability of acquiring the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• or
• (ii) to estimate quantitatively the probability for said individual acquiring the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• wherein said statistical procedure is based on:
• (1) collecting a database of longitudinally-acquired biomarker values from individual members of a test population, subpopulation D of said members being identified as having acquired the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval and a subpopulation D being identified as not having acquired the specified biological condition within the specified time period or age interval;
• (2) selecting from said biomarkers a subset of biomarkers for discriminating between members belonging to the subpopulations D and D, wherein the subset of biomarkers is selected based on distributions of the biomarker values of the individual members of the test population;
• and
• (3) using the distributions of the selected biomarkers to develop said statistical procedure;
• wherein changes in said longitudinally-acquired biomarker values are used to develop said statistical procedure.

A method of predicting an individual's health comprising:

• collecting a plurality of biomarker values from an individual, wherein at least one of said biomarker values is obtained by physically measuring the biomarker value;
• and
• applying a multivariate statistical procedure to said plurality of biomarker values so as to provide a statistically-based quantitative probability of said individual acquiring a specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with a specified underlying cause of death within a specified time period or age interval, wherein said multivariate statistical procedure is based on comparing said individual's plurality of biomarker values with a longitudinally-acquired database, wherein said database includes biomarker values from individual members of a test population, a subpopulation D of said members being identified as having acquired the specified morbidity or suffering the mortality with the specified underlying cause of death within the specified time period or age interval and a subpopulation D being identified as not having acquired the specified morbidity or suffering the mortality with the specified underlying cause of death within the specified time period or age interval;
• wherein changes in the longitudinally-acquired biomarker values to develop said statistical procedure.

A computer-based system for predicting the future health of individuals comprising:

• (a) a computer comprising a processor containing:
• (i) a plurality of biomarker values from an individual;
• and
• (ii) a longitudinally-acquired database, wherein said database includes biomarker values from individual members of a test population, subpopulation D of said members being identified as having acquired a specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with a specified underlying cause of death within a specified time period or age interval and a subpopulation D being identified as not having acquired the specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with the specified underlying cause of death within the specified time period or age interval;
• and
• (b) a computer program that includes steps for applying a multivariate statistical procedure to compare said individual's plurality of biomarker values with said longitudinally-acquired database so as to provide a statistically-based quantitative probability for said individual acquiring the specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with the specified underlying cause of death within the specified time period or age interval;
• wherein changes in the longitudinally-acquired biomarker values are used to develop said statistical procedure.

An apparatus for assessing an individuals's an risk off future health problems comprising:

• (a) a storage device for storing a plurality of biomarker values from an individual;
• and
• (b) a processor coupled to said storage device, said processor being programmed to receive from said storage device said plurality of biomarker values and apply a multivariate statistical procedure comparing said plurality of biomarker values with a longitudinally-acquired database, wherein said database includes biomarker values from individual members of a test population, subpopulation D of said members being identified as having acquired a specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with a specified underlying cause of death within a specified time period or age interval, and a subpopulation D being identified as not having acquired the specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with the specified underlying cause of death within the specified time period or age interval, so as to provide a statistically-based quantitative probability for said individual acquiring the specified morbidity or suffering a mortality with the specified underlying cause of death within the specified time period or age interval;
• wherein changes in the longitudinally-acquired biomarker values are used to develop said statistical procedure.