Scientists found early signs of bowel disease in blood. These signs appeared up to 10 years before doctors found the disease. The research looked at two long-term illnesses: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Both affect the gut. The body's system for fighting illness reacts in the wrong way and can hurt the gut.
The team studied 2,000 blood samples from 500 people. Some people later developed one of these illnesses. Others stayed healthy. The scientists looked at antibodies. These are proteins that the body makes to recognize certain targets. People who later became ill had fewer different kinds of antibodies. The two diseases also showed different patterns.
The team used artificial intelligence, a computer tool that finds patterns. It helped tell apart people who later became ill and healthy people. Blood patterns also helped show who would develop a more serious form of Crohn's disease. These findings may help doctors find people at risk earlier. But the test is not ready for regular use. Scientists need more research to check the results and show that testing helps patients.
