A family longevity selection score: ranking sibships by their longevity, size, and availability for study.

ABSTRACT: Family studies of exceptional longevity can potentially identify genetic and other factors contributing to long life and healthy aging. Although such studies seek families that are exceptionally long lived, they also need living members who can provide DNA and phenotype information. On the basis of these considerations, the authors developed a metric to rank families for selection into a family study of longevity. Their measure, the family longevity selection score (FLoSS), is the sum of 2 components: 1) an estimated family longevity score built from birth-, gender-, and nation-specific cohort survival probabilities and 2) a bonus for older living siblings. The authors examined properties of FLoSS-based family rankings by using data from 3 ongoing studies: the New England Centenarian Study

SUBMITTER: Sebastiani P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2800272 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature