Blood antibody patterns may signal inflammatory bowel disease years before diagnosis
Researchers have identified antibody patterns in blood that can appear up to 10 years before a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. The markers differed between people who later developed Crohn’s disease and those who developed ulcerative colitis.
The study also found that the antibody patterns could distinguish people more likely to experience complicated forms of the disease. This suggests that blood tests could eventually help identify at-risk individuals before symptoms lead to diagnosis.
The research represents a potential early-warning tool for two chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, although its use in routine screening would require further validation.