We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Blood Tests Can Detect Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Years before Diagnosis

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 08 Nov 2023

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic conditions that lead to ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract. More...

This results in discomfort and symptoms such as stomach pain and persistent diarrhea. Recognizing and managing these conditions early is crucial for better patient outcomes. Past assumptions held that most patients experienced symptoms approximately one year prior to being diagnosed. However, the presence of significant damage to the bowels at the time of diagnosis indicated that these diseases might have been developing for a much more extended period. Now, new research has revealed that certain signs of Crohn’s disease can be identified through blood tests up to eight years before its diagnosis, and signs of ulcerative colitis can be detected up to three years prior.

This research, carried out by investigators at the Francis Crick Institute (London, UK) and Aalborg University (Copenhagen, Denmark), highlights that the onset of inflammatory bowel diseases occurs well before symptoms manifest. This discovery opens the possibility for healthcare providers to intervene preemptively or to start treatment at an earlier, potentially more effective stage. The researchers reached their findings by reviewing ten years of blood test results leading up to an IBD diagnosis. They noted variations in specific blood minerals, cell counts, and inflammation indicators, including fecal calprotectin—a marker released during bowel inflammation and currently used to decide if a person with gastrointestinal complaints should undergo more detailed examinations. These variations became noticeable up to eight years before Crohn's disease was diagnosed and three years before ulcerative colitis was diagnosed.

What's particularly noteworthy is that many of these changes were minor and fell within what would be considered normal ranges in standard blood tests, meaning they wouldn't typically trigger alarms for further action. It took a comprehensive analysis of a large volume of data to spot these subtle changes among various indicators. The researchers aim to delve further, exploring whether initiating treatment or preventive measures before symptoms appear could be beneficial, and examining whether these research insights could help predict who might develop IBD in the future.

“Our research shows that the bowel damage we’re seeing at the point of diagnosis is just the tip of the iceberg. So many changes are subtly taking place in the body before the disease takes hold,” said James Lee, Group Leader of the Genetic Mechanisms of Disease Laboratory at the Crick. “This has huge implications for prevention as it highlights that there’s a window of opportunity for treatment.”

“Our findings are novel and go hand-in-hand with emerging evidence that chronic inflammatory bowel diseases likely have their onset years prior to diagnosis,” added Tine Jess, Director at the Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, PREDICT, at Aalborg University.

Related Links:
Francis Crick Institute
Aalborg University


New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Automated Biochemical Analyzer
iBC 900
New
Candida Glabrata Test
ELIchrom Glabrata
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.