New Blood Test Showsโข Promise in Early Detectionโค of Severe Liver disease
Stockholm, Sweden โข-โ A new, simple blood test โutilizing threeโ common measurements could substantially โimprove early detection of serious liver diseases like cirrhosisโ adn cancer, according to a study published โขin the โฃjournal BMJ. The test, dubbed CORE, demonstrates a high degree of accuracy in predicting which individuals areโค at โrisk of developing these conditions – even before symptoms appear, offering a crucial advantageโค in treatment outcomes.
researchers at the โKarolinska โขInstitute in Sweden, collaborating with colleagues in Finland, analyzed data from over 480,000โฃ individuals who participated in health checks over a โฃ30-year period to develop and validateโข the โCORE model. The model assesses risk based onโ five factors: โage,โค gender, and the levels of threeโฃ readily available โliver enzymes – AST,โฃ ALT, and GGTโฃ – typically measured during routine blood work.
The study found CORE โคto beโค remarkably accurate, correctly predicting the progress of serious liver disease in 88% of cases over a ten-year period. This surpasses the accuracy of the currentlyโ recommended FIB-4 method.
“So far โขwe have lacked a โฃreliable tool to identify people โฃat high risk of liver disease early,” explained โขstudy leaderโค Hannes โHagstrรถm. “The development of CORE is an criticallyโ important step โin closing this โgap.”
The โขtestโ is especially valuable for individuals with increased risk factors, including those โwho are overweight, have โฃtype 2 diabetes, or consume high levels of alcohol, as these groups are more prone โฃto developing fatty liverโ disease.
A key benefit of โคCORE is its accessibility. Researchers state the โtest isโ easily implemented in generalโค practitioner offices and utilizes data โalready commonly โcollected. Results from standard blood tests,โฃ combined with age and gender data, can beโ entered into a freely available, web-based computer programโ atโ https://www.core-model.com/ for immediate risk assessment,allowing for prompt further inquiry ifโ needed.
Early โdetection is critical, asโ the chances of recovery from liver diseases often diminish โคsignificantly once symptoms โคmanifest. This new test offers a potentially life-saving tool for proactive healthcare.