Molecular Morbidity Score: Can MicroRNAs Assess the Burden of Disease?

The article discusses the growing issue of multimorbidity, the presence of two or more chronic diseases, which is often overlooked in clinical guidelines due to the exclusion of such patients from clinical trials. It highlights the need for novel biomarkers and prognostic methods for these patients, suggesting that microRNAs, which are small regulatory RNAs, could be key. MicroRNAs are linked to the hallmarks of ageing and the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. The article proposes developing a molecular morbidity score using a panel of microRNAs to assess the prognostic burden of multimorbidity. This score could help evaluate clinical interventions, guide clinical decisions, and include more patients with multimorbidity in trials.