Eosinophilic Biomarker Found for Aggressive IBD
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 14 Dec 2017 |

Image: Peripheral bloods smear showing five eosinophils, from a patient with eosinophilia (Photo courtesy of the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto).
Peripheral blood eosinophilia (PBE) in inflammatory bowel disease is associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) and active disease. Little data exist on the long-term impact of PBE on disease course.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term mainly used to describe two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are long-term conditions that involve inflammation of the gut. Ulcerative colitis only affects the colon or large intestine.
A large group of medical scientists working with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh, PN, USA) performed a registry analysis of a consented, prospective, natural history IBD cohort at a tertiary center from 2009 to 2014. Demographics, comorbidities, disease activity, healthcare utilization, and time to hospitalization or surgical resection of patients who displayed PBE were compared to patients without PBE.
The team reported that of the 2,066 IBD patients, 19.2% developed PBE. PBE was significantly associated with UC, extensive colitis, and shorter disease duration. Over six years, PBE patients had more active disease, concurrent C-reactive protein elevation, healthcare utilization (hospitalization and IBD surgery), and more aggressive medical therapy (prednisone and anti- tumor necrosis factor). Patients with PBE had a significantly reduced time to hospitalization in both UC and Crohn’s disease (CD) and reduced time to colectomy in UC. PBE remained significantly associated with hospitalization and surgery in both CD and UC. New diagnosis of UC with PBE was associated with increased steroid and anti- tumor necrosis factor requirement.
The authors concluded that the multi-year study of a large IBD cohort suggests that peripheral blood eosinophilia represents a biomarker of a distinct IBD subgroup, with a unique inflammatory signature, and at risk for worse clinical outcomes. The study was published on November 7, 2017, in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Related Links:
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term mainly used to describe two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are long-term conditions that involve inflammation of the gut. Ulcerative colitis only affects the colon or large intestine.
A large group of medical scientists working with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh, PN, USA) performed a registry analysis of a consented, prospective, natural history IBD cohort at a tertiary center from 2009 to 2014. Demographics, comorbidities, disease activity, healthcare utilization, and time to hospitalization or surgical resection of patients who displayed PBE were compared to patients without PBE.
The team reported that of the 2,066 IBD patients, 19.2% developed PBE. PBE was significantly associated with UC, extensive colitis, and shorter disease duration. Over six years, PBE patients had more active disease, concurrent C-reactive protein elevation, healthcare utilization (hospitalization and IBD surgery), and more aggressive medical therapy (prednisone and anti- tumor necrosis factor). Patients with PBE had a significantly reduced time to hospitalization in both UC and Crohn’s disease (CD) and reduced time to colectomy in UC. PBE remained significantly associated with hospitalization and surgery in both CD and UC. New diagnosis of UC with PBE was associated with increased steroid and anti- tumor necrosis factor requirement.
The authors concluded that the multi-year study of a large IBD cohort suggests that peripheral blood eosinophilia represents a biomarker of a distinct IBD subgroup, with a unique inflammatory signature, and at risk for worse clinical outcomes. The study was published on November 7, 2017, in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Related Links:
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Latest Pathology News
- Breakthrough-Designated Cytology Test Supports Oral Cancer Risk Assessment
- Review Highlights Progress and Validation Needs for AI in Digital Pathology
- Roche Launches Automated Test to Support Mesothelioma Differential Diagnosis
- AI Pathology Approach Closely Aligns With Breast Cancer Genomic Risk Classification
- Digital Pathology Test Stratifies Recurrence Risk in Early Breast Cancer
- AI Pathology Tool Predicts DNA Repair Deficiency in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
- AI Tissue Analysis May Help Identify Missed Precancerous Colon Polyps
- AI Pre-Screening Helps Identify Lung Cancer Cases for Additional Biomarker Testing
- AI Pathology Platform Targets Workflow Delays and Molecular Test Failures
- Updated Digital Pathology Platform Expands AI Integration for Cancer Diagnosis
- Molecular Testing Refines Barrett’s Esophagus Progression Risk Beyond Biopsy Findings
- AI Histopathology Tool Distinguishes Ewing Sarcoma for Diagnosis
- Rapid Mass Spectrometry Test May Aid Glioma Margin Decisions
- Genomic Classifier Predicts Benefit From Adding Hormone Therapy to Salvage Prostate Radiation
- Multimodal AI Supports Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Across Diverse Cohorts
- New AI Model Maps Where Glioblastoma Could Return After Surgery
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Blood Protein Analysis Reveals Menopause-Associated Signals of Brain Aging
Menopause affects women across midlife and is often accompanied by endocrine changes, hot flashes, brain fog and sleep disturbances. Women spend roughly one third of their lives after the menopause transition,... Read more
Cystatin C Testing Helps Distinguish Abemaciclib Effect from Kidney Injury
Kidney function monitoring in breast cancer care often relies on serum creatinine, a routine blood marker used to estimate renal function. However, creatinine increases in patients receiving abemaciclib... Read more
Blood-Based Score May Support Targeted Interventions for Healthier Aging
Chronic diseases frequently accumulate with age, complicating efforts to maintain functional independence in older adults. Studies cited by the investigators indicate that about 60% of people over age... Read more
Noninvasive Tests Offer Alternatives to Biopsy for Assessing Advanced Liver Scarring
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects up to one in three adults worldwide and as many as seven in 10 people with obesity or type 2 diabetes. Its more severe form, metabolic... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Study Finds Potential Marker of Targeted Drug Resistance in Breast Cancer
Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common breast cancer subtype and is driven by estrogen. Many patients are treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors alongside hormone therapy, but these drugs... Read more
Blood Test Identifies Early Breast and Prostate Cancer Signals Years Before Diagnosis
Breast and prostate cancers are among the most common cancers, yet many are detected only after tumors have become established. Identifying disease earlier could support closer monitoring and help distinguish... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Roche Gains FDA Clearance for Flexible Respiratory Pathogen Panel
Respiratory infections often cause overlapping viral and bacterial symptoms, making diagnosis more difficult during peak respiratory seasons. This uncertainty can be especially important for high-risk... Read more
Prototype Point-of-Care Lateral Flow Test Aims to Improve Neonatal Sepsis Triage
Sepsis in newborns and young infants remains a major clinical challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. An estimated 2.3 million newborns die each year, with sepsis contributing substantially... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Stool Testing Predicts UTI Risk and Guides Antibiotic Selection
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common reason for antibiotic prescribing in general medical practice and can be painful in postmenopausal women, sometimes progressing to kidney infection or life-threatening... Read more
Rapid Host-Response Assay Gains FDA Clearance to Help Distinguish Bacterial and Viral Infections
Bacterial and viral infections often cause similar symptoms, making early differentiation difficult in emergency and urgent care settings. Clinicians may need to begin treatment before traditional diagnostic... Read more
Repeat Prenatal STI Screening and Treatment May Reduce Preterm Births
Preterm birth remains a major obstetric concern and is associated with serious complications in early childhood. Common sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy often cause no symptoms, making... Read more
Decentralized Laboratory Network Improves Detection of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in Guinea
Viral hemorrhagic fevers remain a major diagnostic challenge in West Africa because their early symptoms can resemble those of other febrile illnesses. The 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic underscored the need... Read morePathology
view channel
Review Highlights Progress and Validation Needs for AI in Digital Pathology
Pathology remains the gold standard for disease diagnosis, but clinical laboratories face growing demands for faster, more reproducible diagnostic and prognostic workflows. Digital pathology based on whole-slide... Read more
Breakthrough-Designated Cytology Test Supports Oral Cancer Risk Assessment
Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers remain a significant diagnostic challenge, with more than 60,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed in 2026 and more than 13,000 expected to die from these cancers.... Read more
AI Pathology Approach Closely Aligns With Breast Cancer Genomic Risk Classification
In early-stage breast cancer, precision oncology relies on biological information to guide personalized treatment decisions. Because access to tissue-based genomic testing may be limited, there is growing... Read moreTechnology
view channel
Personal PCR Analyzer Aims to Enable At-Home Infectious Disease Testing
PCR amplifies DNA to enable highly accurate testing, but its reliance on complex, expensive laboratory analyzers has traditionally kept many workflows in centralized settings. A new personal DNA analyzer... Read more
Microfluidic Assay Predicts Treatment Response in Pediatric Leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a rapidly developing blood cancer that can disrupt production of mature infection-fighting white blood cells within months. More than 120,000 people in the U.... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Collaboration Expands Access to Tests for Cancer Treatment Resistance and Toxicity Risk
Precision medicine in oncology relies on molecular testing to identify biomarkers that can help guide treatment decisions. In hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, ESR1 mutations... Read more







