An experimental blood test has shown potential in predicting the risk of developing severe lung conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The test analyzes a panel of 32 proteins in the blood to identify individuals at high risk of experiencing a rapid decline in lung function.
The study revealed that adults with elevated test scores faced an 84% increased risk of developing COPD, an 81% increased risk of dying from respiratory diseases like COPD or pneumonia, a 17% increased risk of requiring hospitalization for respiratory problems, and a 10% increased risk of needing treatment for respiratory symptoms such as cough, mucus, or shortness of breath.
Identifying High-Risk Individuals
Dr. Ravi Kalhan, a professor of pulmonary medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of identifying patients on a steep trajectory of lung function decline. "Loss of lung function on a year-over-year basis is associated with poor respiratory health outcomes, but we do not have a good way to easily figure out if a patient is on a steep trajectory of lung function decline," Dr. Kalhan stated. He added that a simple clinical tool, like a blood test, could enable earlier interventions to improve long-term lung health.
Development and Validation
The blood test was developed using data from nearly 2,500 U.S. adults participating in a 30-year study on heart and lung health. Participants underwent breathing tests to measure lung function up to six times over the study period. The research team screened thousands of proteins from blood samples collected at the 25-year mark, identifying 32 proteins linked to lung function. These proteins were then compiled into a score to predict the future likelihood of severe lung ailments.
The predictive score was subsequently tested on data from over 40,000 adults from two earlier studies, confirming its ability to identify individuals at the highest risk of lung problems. Dr. Gabrielle Liu, a pulmonologist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, likened the test to using cholesterol levels to assess heart attack risk, explaining, "Similar to using cholesterol levels to gauge a patient’s risk for having a heart attack, we’re looking at biological pathways to predict a person’s risk for having COPD or severe complications from COPD."
Future Steps
Before the blood test can be used in clinical practice, it needs to undergo verification in clinical trials and receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. James Kiley, director of lung diseases at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, which funded the study, noted that the test "consolidates insights from decades of breathing tests and medical evaluations into a single tool that has the potential to identify patients at risk for severe disease and complications."
