A simple saliva test may predict the risk of early death, suggests a new study that found lower levels of antibodies in saliva are associated with an elevated risk of mortality.
The study from the University of Birmingham in UK examined associations between secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA), the common antibody found in saliva, and mortality rates in the general population.
There was a negative association between IgA secretion rate and all-cause mortality, the researchers said.
Further analysis of specific causes of mortality showed that the all-cause association was due to an underlying association with cancer mortality and, in particular with non-lung cancers, researchers said.