The anticipation of having a instrumentality that facilitates organization screening for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is getting closer. A multicenter study involving starring hospitals crossed Spain, led by Hospital del Mar and its investigation institute, has confirmed that group pinch COPD show altered levels of circumstantial metabolites successful their blood. This uncovering whitethorn make it imaginable to usage these biomarkers to identify, astatine an early stage, those apt to person COPD. The study, conducted pinch researchers from nan CIBER Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES) and Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) areas, has been published successful nan International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
This could service arsenic a screening method to specify high-risk populations for COPD, who could past beryllium referred for nan definitive diagnostic test, spirometry."
Dr. Joaquim Gea, Emeritus Head of nan Pulmonology Service astatine Hospital del Mar and Coordinator of nan Myogenesis, Inflammation, and Muscle Function Research Group astatine nan Hospital del Mar Research Institute
Currently, 70% of COPD cases are underdiagnosed, mostly owed to nan trouble of correctly performing nan reference test-spirometry-on a organization scale. This leads to precocious aliases missed diagnoses, which hold nan commencement of curen and consequence successful patients reaching attraction pinch precocious disease. It besides increases nan consequence of COPD-associated conditions specified arsenic lung cancer.
Ten altered metabolites
The study analyzed information from 91 COPD patients and 91 patient controls. All participants underwent humor tests, which were analyzed utilizing wide spectrometry to observe metabolite levels. Of nan 360 molecules identified, astir 50 were selected arsenic nan astir relevant. Using artificial intelligence, researchers pinpointed nan 10 best-performing metabolites successful operation for identifying individuals pinch COPD.
The results showed these metabolites had very precocious sensitivity and specificity-over 90%- successful distinguishing COPD patients from patient individuals. These molecules are linked to power production, which whitethorn explicate fatigue and different limitations knowledgeable by COPD patients, arsenic good arsenic lipid metabolism, which could subordinate to nan cardiovascular comorbidities often recovered successful these individuals. The findings propose that COPD patients person a reduced capacity to nutrient power and altered lipid metabolism
El hecho de seleccionar un grupo reducido de marcadores puede ayudar a su implantación en un programa de cribado poblacional en EPOC. Además, su aplicación puede ser relativamente sencilla, al poderlos detectar con un análisis de sangre rutinario. Como explica el Dr. Gea, esto "nos puede permitir tener una herramienta para la detección precoz de las personas con EPOC, hecho que implica el inicio del tratamiento en un momento inicial de la enfermedad y una vigilancia más estrecha de las posibles comorbilidades".
Focusing connected a constricted group of biomarkers could facilitate their inclusion successful a organization screening programme for COPD. Moreover, their exertion could beryllium comparatively straightforward, arsenic they tin beryllium detected done a regular humor test. As Dr. Gea points out, this "could springiness america a instrumentality for early discovery of individuals pinch COPD, which would let curen to statesman successful nan early stages of nan illness and alteration person monitoring of imaginable comorbidities."
The adjacent measurement successful this statement of investigation is to verify the efficacy of these biomarkers successful a larger and much divers population. If successful, this could pave nan measurement for their implementation successful objective practice.
Source:
Journal reference:
Casadevall, C., et al. (2025). Metabolomic Plasma Profile of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104526.