Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 29: A breakthrough study by researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet has unveiled a simple blood test that could predict an individual's risk of developing severe liver disease — such as cirrhosis or liver cancer — up to 10 years in advance.

Published in The BMJ, the study introduces a diagnostic model called CORE, which relies on just five factors: a person’s age, sex, and levels of three common liver enzymes — AST, ALT, and GGT — all of which are routinely measured in standard health check-ups.

“These are diseases that are becoming increasingly common and are often diagnosed too late,” said Rickard Strandberg, the researcher who developed the test. “Our method can identify those at risk early on, using simple and accessible tools.”

Lead investigator Hannes Hagström called the development a major step toward introducing liver disease screening into primary care, particularly as early intervention with existing drug treatments can be life-saving.

The researchers analysed health data from over 480,000 individuals in Stockholm, collected between 1985 and 1996, with follow-ups extending up to 30 years. The CORE model demonstrated 88% accuracy in predicting which individuals would develop serious liver conditions.

The team believes this new tool could transform early detection and prevention strategies for liver disease — particularly valuable at a time when liver conditions are on the rise globally.