United States: One of the most common practices would be blood tests during physical check-ups, but one does not necessarily have to think of blood as a gold mine of information about our health. New research available in Nature (December 11) describes how a simple and routine blood test called the complete blood count (CBC) is able to not only forecast but also identify multiple diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and kidney disease, as reported by HealthDay.
The Possibility of a Routine Exam
CBCs can be used in determining the quantities of the red and white blood cells, as well as the platelets. This study found that the subjective CBC interpretation could be an early indicator of several disorders — although they are a fundamental diagnostic tool.
“Complete blood counts are common tests, and our study suggests CBCs vary a lot from person to person, even when completely healthy,” said Dr. John Higgins, senior researcher and pathologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. “A more personalized and precision medicine approach could give more insight into a person’s health or disease.”
Personalized Blood Profiles
Analyzing data from over 25,000 patients, researchers identified unique “set points” for blood profiles in each individual. Monitoring deviations from these baseline levels could help doctors detect early signs of illness in seemingly healthy individuals.
Key Findings
Heart Health: Lower hemoglobin levels increase risks of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
Diabetes Risk:Elevated white blood cell (WBC) levels in overweight individuals are linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Bone and Kidney Health:Variations in red blood cell size are associated with osteoporosis and irregular heart rhythms. Red blood cell concentration can indicate kidney issues.
Mortality Risk:Extreme highs or lows in CBC parameters were tied to a more than 5% variation in the 10-year risk of death for otherwise healthy individuals.
A Broader Perspective on Disease Screening
The study emphasizes the predictive power of CBCs, suggesting that set points could complement existing disease screening tools, such as family history or genetic markers, as reported by HealthDay.
“Set points identify large fractions of healthy adults with increased risks of major diseases,” researchers wrote. These insights align with previous studies linking hemoglobin levels to heart attacks and WBC counts to diabetes.