United States: A recent advancement in blood testing methods exhibits potential to let medical professionals anticipate how spinal cord injury victims will recover from their conditions based on a study published in Journal of Clinical Investigation and reported by HealthDay.
The test examines spinal cord DNA fragments floating in blood to create a precise method for determining injury levels and treatment outcomes.
How the Blood Test Works
Research has shown that higher levels of spinal cord DNA in the blood correlate with more severe injuries, often leading to paralysis.
Dr. Tej Azad, neurosurgery chief resident at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, emphasized the test’s potential:
“If you have a spinal cord injury, your main question is simple: Am I going to walk again? With this new blood test, we are trying to bring a precision medicine framework to spinal cord injury by identifying injury severity and predicting neurological recovery.”
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries cause about 18,000 Americans to suffer each year. Medical testing for diagnosing and recovery evaluation of these injuries takes extensive time while being costly to healthcare providers.
The procedure development process involved examination of blood samples from patients suffering injuries as well as people who had no injuries. Their findings revealed:
✅ Patients with more severe injuries release higher amounts of spinal cord DNA into their bloodstream.
✅ Four key blood plasma proteins are significantly elevated in spinal cord injury patients.
The Spinal Cord Injury Index: A Game-Changing Tool
By combining spinal cord DNA fragments with the four key proteins, researchers developed a Spinal Cord Injury Index to predict recovery outcomes.
After tracking patients for six months, they found that the index correctly predicted recovery with a 77% accuracy rate, making it a promising tool for assessing patient outcomes.
Personalized Medicine for Spinal Cord Injuries
Dr. Nicholas Theodore who leads the Johns Hopkins Neurosurgical Spine Center emphasized the importance of this achievement:
“Blood-based biomarkers have transformed cancer diagnosis and treatment. Now, we are applying similar technology to traumatic spinal cord injuries—bringing personalized medicine to this field.”
With this cutting-edge blood test, doctors can:
🔹 Identify the best treatment options for each patient
🔹 Ensure rapid access to clinical trials for severe cases