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Boston, MA – A new study by researchers from Mass General Brigham has uncovered that the results of complete blood count (CBC) screenings, a routine test for healthy adults, could benefit from a personalized approach. The study, published in Nature, suggests that current CBC analysis, which uses a one-size-fits-all reference interval, might overlook significant health deviations in individuals.
The researchers found that each healthy individual’s CBC setpoints are unique and distinguishable from 98% of other healthy adults. “Complete blood counts are common tests, and our study suggests CBCs vary a lot from person to person even when completely healthy,” said Dr. John Higgins, senior author and a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). “A more personalized and precision medicine approach could give more insight into a person’s health or disease.”
CBC indices, typically influenced by genetics, disease history, and age, reflect a stable value around which measures fluctuate—referred to as a “setpoint.” By tailoring CBC setpoints to individuals, clinicians might diagnose diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney failure in their early stages, even in adults who appear otherwise healthy.
The study revealed that for multiple diseases, setpoints offer a two- to four-fold relative risk stratification comparable to common disease screening factors. This discovery provides new opportunities for personalized disease management and early intervention, which can significantly benefit patient outcomes.
Brody H. Foy, the study’s first author and a research fellow at MGH, now a faculty member at the University of Washington, highlighted the potential impact of personalized CBC setpoints. “These setpoints create new opportunities to investigate the mechanisms of varying CBC thresholds and can be used to create more specific treatment plans,” said Foy.
This research underscores the importance of personalized medicine in improving disease detection and treatment, potentially revolutionizing how clinicians use CBC results to monitor and manage patient health.
For more information, read the original study: Foy BH et al., Haematological setpoints are a stable and patient-specific deep phenotype, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08264-5.
Journal information: Nature.
