Defining an Ageing-Related Pathology, Disease or Syndrome: International Consensus Statement
Authors: Short Emma , Adcock Ian M. , Al-Sarireh Bilal , Ager Ann , Ajjan Ramzi , Akbar Naveed , Akeroyd Michael A. , Alsaleh Ghada , Al-Sharbatee Ghada , Alavian Kambiz , Amoaku Winfried , Andersen Julie , Antoniades Chrystalina , Arends Mark J. , Astley Sue , Atan Denize , Attanoos Richard , Attems Johannes , Bain Steve , Balaskas Konstantinos , Balmus Gabriel , Bance Manohar , Barber Thomas M. , Bardhan Ajoy , Barker Karen , Barnes Peter , Basatemur Gemma , Bateman Adrian , Bauer Moises Evandro , Bellamy Christopher , van Beek Edwin , Bellantuono Ilaria , Benbow Emyr , Bhandari Sunil , Bhatnagar Rahul , Bloom Philip , Bowdish Dawn , Bowerman Melissa , Burke Melanie , Carare Roxana , Carrington Emma Victoria , Castillo-Quan Jorge Iván , Clegg Peter , Cole James , Cota Carlo , Chazot Paul , Chen Christopher , Cheong Ying , Christopher Gary , Church George , Clancy David , Cool Paul , Del Galdo Francesco , Dalakoti Mayank , Dasgupta Soumit , Deane Colleen , Dhasmana Devesh , Dojcinov Stefan , Di Prete Monia , Du Huaidong , Duggal Niharika A , Ellmers Toby , Emanueli Costanza , Emberton Mark , Erusalimsky Jorge D. , Feldmeyer Laurence , Fleming Alexander , Forbes Karen , Foster Thomas C. , Frasca Daniela , Frayling Ian , Freedman Daniel , Fülöp Tamas , Ellison-Hughes Georgina , Gazzard Gus , George Christopher , Gil Jesus , Glassock Richard , Goldin Rob , Green John , Guymer Robyn , Haboubi Hasan , Harries Lorna , Hart Simon , Hartley Douglas , Hasaballa Sebri , Henein Christin , Helliwell Maggie , Henderson Emily , Heer Rakesh , Holte Kristofer , Idris Iskander , Isenburg David , Jylhävä Juulia , Iqbal Ahmed , Jones Simon W. , Kalaria Rajesh , Kanamarlapudi Venkateswarlu , Kempf Werner , Kermack Alexandra J. , Kerns Jemma , Koulman Albert , Khan Adnan H. , Kinross James , Klaucane Katarina , Krishna Yamini , Gill Harinderjit Singh , Lakatta Edward , Laconi Ezio , Lazar Alpar , Leeuwenburgh Christiaan , Leung Samantha , Li Xuan , van der Linde Ian , Lopes Luísa V. , Lorenzini Antonello , Lotery Andrew , Machado Pedro , Mackie Sarah , Madeddu Paolo , Maier Andrea , Mukkanna Krishna , Manousou Pinelopi , Markey Oonagh , Mauro Claudio , McDonnell Barry , Medina Reinhold J. , Meran Soma , Metzler-Baddeley Claudia , Meglinksi Ignor , Milman Neta , Mitteldorf Christina , Montgomery Ruth , Morris Andrew Conway , Mühleisen Beda , Mukherkee Abhik , Murray Andrew , Nelson Scott , Nicolaou Anna , Nirenberg Alexander , Noble Simon , Nolan Lisa S. , Nus Meritxell , Van On Canh , Osei-Lah Victor , Peffers Mandy , Palmer Antony , Palmer Donald , Palmer Laura , Parry-Smith William , Pawelec Graham , Peleg Shahaf , Perera Ranmith , Pitsillides Andrew , Plack Christopher J. , Progatzsky Franze , Pyott Sonja , Rajput Kaukab , Rashid Sameera , Ratnayaka J. Arjuna , Ratnayake Sudhira A.B. , Rodriguez-Justo Manuel , Rosa Arianna Carolina , Rule Andrew , Sanger Gareth J. , Sayers Ian , Saykin Andrew , Selvarajah Dinesh , Sethi Jaswinder , Shanahan Cathy , Shen-Orr Shai , Sheridan Carl , Shiels Paul , Sidlauskas Kastytis , Sivaprasad Sobha , Sluimer Judith , Small Gary , Smith Peter , Smith Rebecca , Snelling Sarah , Spyridopoulos Ioakim , Srinivasa Raghavan Ramasamy , Steel David , Steel Karen P , Stewart Claire , Stone Keeron , Subbarayan Selvarani , Sussman Mark , Svensson Jonas , Tadanki Vyshnavi , Tan Ai Lyn , Tanzi Rudolph E. , Tatler Amanda , Tavares Adriana A. S. , Tengku Mohd Tengku Amatullah Madeehah , Tiganescu Ana , Timmons James , Tree Jeremy , Trivedi Drupad , Tsochatzis Emmanuel A. , Tsimpida Dialechti , Vinke Elisabeth J , Whittaker Anna , Vallabh Neeru A. , Veighey Kristin , Venables Zoe C. , Reddy Venkat , Vernooij Meike W. , Verschoor Chris , Vinciguerra Manlio , Vukanovic Vesna , Vyazovskiy Vladyslav , Walker James , Wakefield Richard , Watkins Adam J. , Webster Anthony , Weight Caroline , Weinberger Birgit , Whitney Susan L. , Willis Rosalind , Witkowski Jacek M. , Yeo Leonard L.L. , Chung Tham Yhi , Yu Emma , Zemel Michael , Calimport Stuart R.G. , Bentley Barry L. 
Published: September 2024

Background

Around the world, individuals are living longer, but an increased average lifespan does not always equate to an increased healthspan. With advancing age, the increased prevalence of ageing-related diseases can have a significant impact on health status, functional capacity, and quality of life. It is therefore vital to develop comprehensive classification and staging systems for ageing-related pathologies, diseases and syndromes. This will allow societies to better identify, quantify, understand, and meet the healthcare, workforce, wellbeing, and socioeconomic needs of ageing populations, while supporting the development and utilisation of interventions to prevent or to slow, halt or reverse the progression of ageing-related pathologies.

Methods

The foundation for developing such classification and staging systems is to define the scope of what constitutes an ageing-related pathology, disease or syndrome. To this end, a consensus meeting was hosted by the International Consortium to Classify Ageing-Related Pathologies (ICCARP), on February 19th, 2024, in Cardiff, UK, and was attended by 150 recognised experts. Discussions and voting were centred on provisional criteria that had been distributed prior to the meeting. The participants debated and voted on these. Each criterion required a consensus agreement of ≥70% for approval.

Results

The accepted criteria for an ageing-related pathology, disease or syndrome were:

Develops and/or progresses with increasing chronological age.

Should be associated with, or contribute to, functional decline, or an increased susceptibility to functional decline.

Evidenced by studies in humans.

Conclusions

Criteria for an ageing-related pathology, disease or syndrome have been agreed by an international consortium of subject experts. These criteria will now be used by the ICCARP for the classification and ultimately staging of ageing-related pathologies, diseases and syndromes.