UTHealth Houston researchers identify early disease risk markers in children

Researchers at UTHealth Houston have identified blood protein signatures in children as young as eight years old that can predict the risk of developing cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases in adulthood. The study, published in Nature Metabolism, involved analyzing approximately 5,000 proteins in a cohort of 273 children.

The research team identified six distinct protein profiles associated with elevated disease risk. These same signatures were observed in 685 adults from the same community who faced high risks of irreversible cardiovascular-renal-metabolic disease. To validate these findings, researchers cross-referenced the data with more than 28,000 adults from the UK Biobank, finding that individuals with similar protein profiles had a higher risk of heart attacks and other adverse health outcomes.

Notably, the study found that some of these protein changes may be reversible. Among adults using GLP-1 class medications, most proteins linked to high disease risk shifted in a favorable direction. Lead author Heather Highland, PhD, noted that identifying these early markers could allow for increased monitoring and potential early intervention before diseases fully develop.