The researchers found that a fast -paced, two -minute swab could help identify children at risk for a rare but potentially deadly heart disease.
According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), arrhythmiogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), an inherited disorder accounts for more than 10 % of sudden heart deaths in young people.
It contains abnormal proteins that usually hold the heart muscle together.
This defect causes muscle cells to be destroyed and replaced by scar tissue and fatty cells.
Experts warn ACM has “potential for development and strike without warning”.
However, these protein abnormalities can be detected in the species.
A initial study, led by experts at City St. George, the University of London and the Urmond Street Grand Hospital, included 51 children from three months to 18 with a well -known genetic risk ACM.
They were given swabs every three to six months.
From this group, 10 people went to ACM development, and eight of these patients showed abnormalities that were harvested by species swabs before other tests.
The study also included another group of 21 children without genetic risk ACM.
Of these, five cases of abnormalities were removed by the swab.
This study showed that swabs show changes in young people up to five years before diagnosis.
ACM diagnosis was confirmed by scans and tests, and researchers show that a swab can be an additional step to help early diagnosis.
“There is a real need for a quick and easy test for the ACM suspicious flag, which can be confirmed by hospital tests,” said Joanna Jajar, from City St. George, the University of London.
It is estimated that about one of the 10,000 people in the UK have ACM.
Symptoms can include palpitations, fainting, breathing, abnormal heart rhythms and swelling in the abdomen, legs or ankles.
Researchers are now preparing swab kits that can be done at home and sent for analysis.
“Our experiment provides a window for microscopic changes in the heart, and is completely safe and non -invasive,” said Dr. Angeliki Asimaki, a card singer and sudden death at the School of Health and Medical Sciences at City St. University of London.
“It has the potential to provide accurate and timely diagnosis of ACM, which can ultimately save life,” he said.
“Patients, especially children, have told us that they prefer the speed and ease of the species to other options such as blood tests,” he said.
“We are currently preparing experimental kits that allow children to do species at home and send them to the researchers for analysis.”
“Cardiomyopathy of arrhythmiogenic has the potential to create potential and strike without warning,” said Dr. Sonia Babu-Naraian, a consultant, clinical director at BHF, a study investor at the European Cardiovascular Congress in Madrid, and unfortunately can help our children suddenly.
“This type of simple, painless swab can identify children in the early stages of ACM that require extra care, or provide confidence to the risk children and their families with natural test results.”
