Warning signs could predict inflammatory bowel disease a decade before diagnosis
Summary
Scientists found that certain antibodies in blood can show signs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) up to ten years before people are diagnosed. This discovery could help doctors detect and treat IBD earlier, possibly preventing damage to the gut.Key Facts
- Inflammatory bowel disease includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Current treatments start after symptoms appear and the gut is already damaged.
- Researchers tested blood from US military personnel, some of whom later developed IBD.
- Specific antibodies linked to viruses and the body’s own proteins appeared years before diagnosis.
- Antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus were common in people who later developed Crohn’s disease.
- People with ulcerative colitis had antibodies against a protein from their own body.
- The findings were published in the journal Gut and presented in Barcelona.
- More studies are needed before this method can be used to predict IBD in clinics.
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