The possibility of a tool that could screen the general population for COPD is moving closer to reality. A multicenter study involving hospitals across Spain has confirmed that people with COPD show altered levels of specific metabolites in their blood. This could make it possible to use those biomarkers to identify those likely to have COPD.
The study, “Metabolomic Plasma Profile of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients,” was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
The study analyzed data from 91 patients with COPD and 91 healthy controls. All participants underwent blood tests, which were analyzed to detect metabolite levels. There were 360 molecules identified and 50 of those were selected as the most relevant. The researchers then used artificial intelligence (AI) to pinpoint the 10 best performing metabolites for identifying individuals with COPD.
Distribution profile of differential metabolites upon adjusting for age, sex, BMI and recent smoking status. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104526
The metabolites showed more than 90% specificity and sensitivity in distinguishing COPD patients from healthy individuals. They are also linked to energy production, which researchers said could explain fatigue and other symptoms of COPD. The molecules are tied to lipid metabolism as well, which could relate to the cardiovascular comorbidities often found in patients with COPD.
The research could enable physicians to detect COPD earlier, resulting in better outcomes, said Joaquim Gea, MD, PhD, emeritus head of the Pulmonology Service at Hospital del Mar and coordinator of the Myogenesis, Inflammation and Muscle Function Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute in Barcelona.
“This could serve as a screening method to define high-risk populations for COPD, who could then be referred for the definitive diagnostic test — spirometry,” Dr. Gea said in a news release. “It could give us a tool for early detection of individuals with COPD, which would allow treatment to begin in the early stages of the disease and enable closer monitoring of potential comorbidities.”
The researchers said the next step is to verify the efficacy of the biomarkers in a larger and more diverse population.
