A simple blood test could soon help individuals with bowel diseases receive the most effective treatment more quickly, reducing the risks of permanent damage that may eventually require surgery. The test, developed in Britain and named "Predict Sure IBD," aims to assess the severity of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, conditions that cause inflammation and ulceration within the intestines and elsewhere in the digestive system.
Studies indicate that the test is 90% effective in detecting patients with severe gastrointestinal inflammation, meaning they can immediately undergo potent treatment to manage their disease. James Lee, head of the clinical scientist group at the Francis Crick Institute and honorary consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Free London, who helped develop the test, states that understanding the disease pathway will make a significant difference for affected individuals.
He adds, "This is extremely important for patients as it gives them a better chance of recovering from the disease quickly and is truly beneficial for doctors, saving them time usually spent trying treatments that yield no results."
Currently, doctors struggle to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease, negatively impacting the speed of treatment, which could worsen the condition and necessitate surgery to remove narrowed or blocked parts of the digestive tract.
The new blood test works by searching for signs of T-cell exhaustion in the patient, which is a vital component of the immune system. When these cells are exhausted, the likelihood of attacking the intestines and triggering an inflammatory response decreases, necessitating the prescription of effective medications to address the condition quickly.
The new test has not yet been approved for the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, as researchers have stated it requires further study before approval. Doctors in this field hope that a larger ongoing study in the UK will provide more evidence of the test's effectiveness, according to the Daily Mail.
