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Improved biomarkers are needed for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Here we identify a diagnostic lipidomic signature for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease by analyzing blood samples from a discovery cohort of incident treatment-naïve pediatric patients and validating findings in an independent inception cohort. The lipidomic signature comprising of only lactosyl ceramide (d18:1/16:0) and phosphatidylcholine (18:0p/22:6) improves the diagnostic prediction compared with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Adding high-sensitivity C-reactive protein to the signature does not improve its performance. In patients providing a stool sample, the diagnostic performance of the lipidomic signature and fecal calprotectin, a marker of gastrointestinal inflammation, does not substantially differ. Upon investigation in a third pediatric cohort, the findings of increased lactosyl ceramide (d18:1/16:0) and decreased phosphatidylcholine (18:0p/22:6) absolute concentrations are confirmed. Translation of the lipidomic signature into a scalable diagnostic blood test for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease has the potential to support clinical decision making.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-48763-7

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nat Commun

Publication Date

03/06/2024

Volume

15

Keywords

Humans, Child, Lipidomics, Male, Female, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Biomarkers, Adolescent, Feces, Phosphatidylcholines, C-Reactive Protein, Child, Preschool, Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex, Cohort Studies