Circulating Proteins May Enable Early Identification Of Crohn’s Disease, Study Suggests

GI & Hepatology News (3/11, Pass) reports a study suggests that “circulating blood proteins could enable early identification of Crohn’s disease (CD) years before clinical signs.” Investigators found that “the 29-protein biosignature, which was validated across multiple independent cohorts, could potentially open doors to new preclinical interventions.” They believe these “predictive biomarkers of future clinical onset of active inflammatory bowel disease could detect the disease during ‘a window of opportunity’ when the immune dysregulation is potentially reversible.” Researchers concluded, “The long preclinical period in CD endorses the adoption of early preventive strategies (e.g., diet alterations and medication) to potentially attenuate disease progression and improve the natural history of CD.” The study was published in Gastroenterology.