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New Blood Test Might Help Predict Lung Disease Risk
Pathology
Fri Sep 27 2024
Researchers are developing a new blood test that could help predict whether someone is likely to develop chronic lung diseases like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). This project, supported by a major health organization, aims to create a tool that could one day help doctors identify people at risk before they even start showing symptoms.
COPD is a serious condition that affects the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. Right now, it’s difficult for doctors to predict who might develop this disease or other severe lung problems in the future. That’s where this new blood test comes in. The idea is to look for certain proteins in the blood that might signal whether a person’s lung health is at risk.
The researchers studied the lung health of around 2,500 adults over 30 years. These people were between 18 and 30 years old when the study started, and their health was closely monitored over time. The researchers paid particular attention to how their lungs were functioning. They also collected blood samples from the participants and analyzed thousands of proteins in those samples.
Out of all the proteins they studied, the researchers found 32 that seemed to be the most useful in predicting lung problems. They used these proteins to create a score that indicates a person’s risk of needing medical care for a lung disease or even dying from one. The higher the score, the greater the risk.
Here’s what the study found:
- People with higher scores were 17% more likely to need hospital care for a lung problem.
- They were 84% more likely to develop COPD.
- They were 81% more likely to die from a lung disease, like COPD or pneumonia.
- They were also 10% more likely to have symptoms like coughing, mucus build-up, or shortness of breath that required treatment.
One of the researchers involved in the study explained that currently, there’s no easy way to tell if someone’s lung health is going downhill fast. If this blood test proves to be effective, it could allow doctors to step in earlier and potentially prevent or slow down the progression of lung diseases.
To test how well this score works, the researchers applied it to over 40,000 adults from other studies. The results were promising—it accurately identified those who were most at risk, even after considering other factors like age, weight, asthma history, and smoking habits.
However, it’s important to note that this blood test is still in the early stages. Before it can be used in clinics, it needs to go through more studies and clinical trials to confirm that it works as intended. Only then might it be approved as a regular test to help predict the risk of chronic lung diseases.
Summary
While this blood test is not yet ready for everyday use, it represents a hopeful step forward in the fight against lung diseases like COPD. If successful, it could lead to earlier detection and better outcomes for those at risk.
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