How can Mass General Brigham predict asthma attacks?

Mass General Brigham researchers use a new method analyzing blood molecules, specifically the ratio of sphingolipids to steroid hormones, to predict asthma attacks.

What is metabolomics and how is it used for asthma?

Metabolomics analyzes small molecules in blood. For asthma, it helps identify patterns, like sphingolipid and steroid hormone ratios, linked to future attack risk.

Can the new asthma test predict attacks for all patients?

The test shows high accuracy for predicting asthma attacks, but further clinical testing is needed before it can be widely used.

Home / Health / Asthma Attacks Predicted Years Ahead

Asthma Attacks Predicted Years Ahead

20 Jan

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Summary

New method predicts asthma attacks up to five years in advance.
Ratio of sphingolipids to steroid hormones is key predictor.
Testing could significantly improve patient risk assessment.

A groundbreaking metabolomics approach developed by researchers at Mass General Brigham and Karolinska Institutet promises to predict asthma attacks up to five years in advance. The study, involving over 2,500 participants, identified a key biomarker: the ratio of specific fats called sphingolipids to naturally occurring steroid hormones.

This ratio has demonstrated remarkable accuracy, around 90 percent, in identifying individuals at high risk for future asthma attacks when combined with medication use and genetic history. This predictive capability far surpasses traditional clinical information, which yielded only 50-70 percent accuracy.

While the findings require further clinical testing before widespread application, the research team has patented the method. This innovation holds the potential to equip healthcare providers with a crucial tool for proactive asthma management, addressing a long-standing challenge in preventing severe episodes.