One in 50 patients who take an interferon-β (IFN-β) biologic to treat multiple sclerosis have adverse side effects that cause liver injury; up to 60 percent present with abnormal biochemical liver tests. Although the treatment benefits many, the detriment to these patients cannot be overlooked – so a group of researchers hope to help with new biomarkers for liver injury caused by IFN-β (1). These biomarkers may make it possible to predict whether a patient is susceptible to liver injury.
Just a Breath Away
A new diagnostic for pancreatic cancer may come from an unlikely source: your breath! A study of volatile organic compounds in breath has found that they act as novel biomarkers to detect the disease (2). GC/MS analysis of exhaled air can allow diagnosticians to identify patients with pancreatic cancer with 81 percent sensitivity.
A Swallowable Substitute
The standard protocol for diagnosing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and similar gastrointestinal tract disorders requires a breath test that evaluates intestinal gases – but the test often lacks accuracy. A swallowable capsule measured hydrogen concentration – associated with GI diseases – over 3,000 times higher than a breath test, resulting in a higher signal-to-noise ratio and subsequently a more precise diagnosis (3).
Familial Heart Care
A review of existing scientific literature on non-syndromic thoracic aortic disease (NS-TAD) has shown that familial screening may benefit populations. The findings showed that associated gene mutations were found in 33 percent of first-degree relatives and 24 percent of second-degree relatives (4), meaning that relatives of patients diagnosed with sporadic NS-TAD would benefit from genetic screening.
- K Kowalec et al., “Common variation near IRF6 is associated with IFN-β-induced liver injury in multiple sclerosis”, Nat Genet, 50, 1081–1085 (2018). PMID: 30013178.
- SR Markar et al., “Profile of exhaled-breath volatile organic compounds to diagnose pancreatic cancer”, Br J Surg, [Epub ahead of print] (2018). PMID: 30019405.
- KJ Berean et al., “The safety and sensitivity of a telemetric capsule to monitor gastrointestinal hydrogen production in vivo in health sbjects: a pilot trial comparison to concurrent breath analysis”, Aliment Pharmacol Ther, [Epub ahead of print] (2018). PMID: 30067289.
- G Mariscalco et al., “Systemic review of studies that evaluated screening tests in relatives of patients affected by nonsyndromic thoracic aortic disease”, J Am Heart Assoc, 7, e009302 (2018).
My fascination with science, gaming, and writing led to my studying biology at university, while simultaneously working as an online games journalist. After university, I travelled across Europe, working on a novel and developing a game, before finding my way to Texere. As Associate Editor, I’m evolving my loves of science and writing, while continuing to pursue my passion for gaming and creative writing in a personal capacity.
