University of Bristol: Breakthrough blood test could detect heart and kidney disease earlier than ever before
- May 12
- 1 min read
Until now, monitoring the health of the vast network of tiny blood vessels that supply vital organs with oxygen and nutrients has remained largely inaccessible to medicine. In this new study, scientists show that damage to the lining of these microscopic blood vessels signals the earliest stages of heart and kidney disease, conditions that together account for one in three deaths worldwide.
Previously, detecting this type of vascular damage relied on invasive tissue biopsies and advanced microscopy techniques. In this breakthrough, the Bristol team demonstrate a new way to identify damage to the blood vessel lining by tracking changes in the sugar‑ and protein‑rich coating on the surface of these vessels, known as the glycocalyx.
This thin, protective layer lines the inside of our blood vessels, but it is highly sensitive and can change rapidly at the earliest signs of illness. The glycocalyx also acts as a crucial barrier, regulating what moves in and out of the bloodstream and directing immune cells to where they are needed. When the glycocalyx becomes damaged, researchers show that it serves as the earliest marker of disease.
