Researchers have identified changes in the immune system up to 10 years before a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. This group of long-term conditions includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Both involve an abnormal immune response that causes inflammation and damage in the intestines.
The team examined 2,000 blood samples from 500 people, including people who later developed either disease and healthy participants. Samples came from the time of diagnosis and approximately two, four, and 10 years earlier. Researchers studied antibodies, proteins that the immune system produces to recognize specific targets. People who later developed either condition had a less varied range of antibodies than healthy participants. Each disease also had a different pattern of antibody responses.
Using artificial intelligence to analyze these patterns, the researchers could distinguish future disease cases from healthy participants. The patterns also helped separate people who would develop complicated Crohn's disease from those with less complicated illness. These findings could eventually help doctors identify people at risk and those who might need more intensive treatment. However, antibody testing is not ready for routine screening. Further studies must confirm the results in broader populations and establish whether testing offers benefits beyond existing assessments and leads to better patient outcomes.
