A simple blood test for predicting the risk of respiratory disease has been developed

A team of scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a promising blood test that can predict the risk of developing severe respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

This test analyzes 32 proteins in the blood to determine the likelihood of needing medical attention or even dying from severe respiratory disease. The results, which draw on lung health data from a 30-year study, were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Although the test is not yet available for clinical use, it is an important step toward earlier detection of respiratory disease, says James P. Kiley, MD, director of the Division of Pulmonary Diseases at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

“It combines the knowledge gained from years of studying breath tests and medical examinations into a single tool that can identify patients at risk for severe disease and complications,” Kiley explained.

The test is based on data collected from 2,470 adults who participated over 30 years in the Cardiovascular Health Study. At the 25-year mark, researchers analyzed thousands of proteins in blood samples and identified the 32 proteins that most accurately predicted the dynamics of participants’ lung function. Using this information, they created a risk scale to predict whether a person would need treatment or could die from a severe respiratory illness.

The results were striking: adults with higher risk scores on the test were 84% more likely to develop COPD, 17% more likely to go to the hospital for a respiratory illness, and at least 81% more likely to die from a respiratory illness such as COPD or pneumonia. These people were also more likely to experience exacerbations of respiratory disease, such as severe coughing or shortness of breath, that required treatment.

“Worsening lung function is accompanied by declining respiratory health year after year, but we don’t have a simple way to determine if a patient is on a steep decline,“ said Ravi Kalhan, a physician, study co-author and professor of pulmonary medicine at Northwestern University. “If we had the ability to take a simple blood test that captures a decline in lung function at one point in time, it would allow for earlier interventions that could improve long-term lung health.”

The test’s predictive power was further validated using risk scores from more than 40,000 adult participants from two previous observational studies. Even when accounting for factors such as gender, race, smoking history and body weight, the test was successful in identifying people most prone to developing severe respiratory disease.

“This test is similar to measuring cholesterol levels to determine heart attack risk, but it is used to diagnose respiratory diseases such as COPD,” says Gabrielle Y. Liu, a physician, pulmonologist and co-author of the study from the University of California Davis Medical Center.

Although more clinical trials are needed to validate the test as a screening tool, it could revolutionize the prediction and prevention of severe respiratory disease.”

COPD and other respiratory diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide, and the main risk factors are smoking, air pollution and exposure to chemicals in the workplace.

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Published: 13.09.2024

Updated: 15.09.2024

Medical author, Medical editor:

Stepan Yuk

Medical expert:

PhD. Olexandr Voznyak