New Research Finds Signs of Crohn’s Disease in Blood Tests Years Before Symptoms
A groundbreaking new study has found that signs of Crohn’s disease, a debilitating bowel condition, can be detected in routine blood tests up to eight years before the onset of symptoms. The research, led by Dr. James Lee, a gastroenterologist at the Crick Institute in London, also revealed that signs of ulcerative colitis, another inflammatory bowel disease, can be detected up to three years before a diagnosis.
The discovery suggests that the early stages of inflammatory bowel diseases may begin far earlier than previously assumed, potentially allowing doctors to intervene before severe damage occurs. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect more than 500,000 people in the UK alone, causing painful sores, inflammation, and symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Dr. Lee emphasized the devastating impact these conditions can have on young people, disrupting their education, relationships, and employment. “Part of the reason we did this study is because there are a proportion of people who already have quite established damage to the bowel at the time of diagnosis,” he said.
The study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, analyzed standard blood tests performed on 20,000 people with IBD in the 10 years prior to their diagnosis, comparing them with a further 4.6 million people without IBD. The results identified subtle changes in various minerals, blood cells, and proteins associated with inflammation up to eight years before a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, and three years for ulcerative colitis.
Dr. Lee emphasized the potential for early intervention and treatment, stating, “We hope that we could then avoid people needing to go straight for a big operation at the time of diagnosis.” Sarah Sleet, CEO of Crohn’s & Colitis UK, also lauded the research, calling it “a hugely positive step in the right direction.”
The next step for researchers is to further refine the algorithm used to detect these early signs in blood tests and investigate whether treatment or prevention can reduce the risk of developing IBD in the future.
The findings offer hope for early detection and intervention, potentially improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people affected by these debilitating bowel conditions.