{"id":162050,"date":"2026-05-27T08:49:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T07:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/?p=162050"},"modified":"2026-06-15T15:40:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T14:40:43","slug":"could-a-new-blood-test-identify-kidney-damage-earlier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/2026\/05\/27\/could-a-new-blood-test-identify-kidney-damage-earlier\/","title":{"rendered":"Could a new blood test identify kidney damage earlier?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t\n\t<p>New <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-71848-4\">research\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-71848-4\">has been published in Nature Communications<\/a>, led by Dr Matthew Butler,\u00a0Professor Simon\u00a0Satchell\u00a0and their team at the University of Bristol. The\u00a0study,\u00a0funded by\u00a0Kidney Research UK and the\u00a0Medical Research Council, shows\u00a0a blood test could detect damage to the tiny blood vessels of the kidneys. These tiny blood vessels become\u00a0damaged\u00a0at the\u00a0early stages\u00a0of\u00a0certain diseases,\u00a0including\u00a0some types of\u00a0vascular and kidney\u00a0disease.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\t<h2>Blood vessel\u00a0health is linked to\u00a0kidney disease<\/h2>\n<p>Our blood vessels are lined by a thin, gel-like layer, called the glycocalyx. In the kidney, the glycocalyx forms part of the network that filters blood. This filtration process allows us to keep useful substances in our blood and get rid of waste in the urine. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/2024\/01\/15\/finding-the-best-way-to-prevent-kidney-failure-in-diabetic-kidney-disease\/\">The glycocalyx is damaged in some diseases that affect the kidneys<\/a>, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/conditions-symptoms\/diabetes\/\">diabetes<\/a>. This damage causes the tiny blood vessel filters to become leaky, and the kidneys function less well, allowing substances usually kept in the blood, such as protein, escape into the urine<\/p>\n\t<h2>Could a blood test tell us about\u00a0blood vessel\u00a0health\u00a0in the kidneys?<\/h2>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Matt-Butler.jpg\" alt=\"Matt, wearing a white lab coat, standing behind a lab bench.\" height=\"1096\" width=\"927\" title=\"Matt Butler\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Matt-Butler.jpg\" alt=\"Matt, wearing a white lab coat, standing behind a lab bench.\" height=\"1096\" width=\"927\" title=\"Matt Butler\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/noscript>\n\t\t<figcaption>Dr Matthew Butler<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t<p>Our blood contains red blood cells which transport oxygen and waste products such as carbon dioxide around our body. Red blood cells also have a glycocalyx on their surface.\u00a0\u00a0Matthew, Simon and the team studied the glycocalyx on red blood cells and compared this to the glycocalyx of the blood vessels in the kidneys in a laboratory model and in human kidney biopsy samples. Damage and thinning of the glycocalyx was shown in the tiny kidney blood vessels in certain diseases affecting the kidneys, such as diabetes. This thinning of the glycocalyx was mirrored on the red blood cells. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Matthew, Simon and the team then looked at whether a blood test could be used to predict the health of the tiny blood vessels in patients. In a group of pregnant patients, who donated blood samples and had a test to measure the glycocalyx thickness of their blood vessels, they again found the thickness of the glycocalyx was mirrored between the red blood cells and blood vessels.<\/p>\n<p>To look at why the glycocalyx health\u00a0was similar between the tiny blood vessels and red blood cells, the team studied\u00a0the components\u00a0of\u00a0the glycocalyx. They found\u00a0that\u00a0some\u00a0components, such as certain sugars,\u00a0were exchanged between\u00a0the\u00a0red blood cells\u00a0and\u00a0cells lining\u00a0blood vessels when they came into contact.\u00a0Therefore,\u00a0damage to the glycocalyx of\u00a0our\u00a0blood vessels\u00a0is\u00a0reflected\u00a0on the\u00a0red cells in our blood.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\t<h2>A\u00a0blood test could detect\u00a0early damage to\u00a0tiny\u00a0blood vessels in kidney disease<\/h2>\n<p>Damage to the glycocalyx of the tiny blood vessels in the kidney happens in the early stages of certain diseases, such as diabetes. This research could provide a new way of assessing the health of the kidneys using a blood test. Identifying kidney disease sooner is key to earlier interventions and treatments to protect the kidneys and improve outcomes for patients.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Scientific-image-left-250x250.jpeg\" alt=\"A largely black background with fluorescent green lines that look like squiggles\" height=\"250\" width=\"250\" title=\"Scientific image (left)\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Scientific-image-left-250x250.jpeg\" alt=\"A largely black background with fluorescent green lines that look like squiggles\" height=\"250\" width=\"250\" title=\"Scientific image (left)\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/noscript>\n\t\t<figcaption>A healthy kidney filter (glomerulus) where the glycocalyx lining of the microscopic blood vessels has been labelled green.<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/scientific-image-right-250x250.png\" alt=\"A black background with think circles that have red and yellow outlines\" height=\"250\" width=\"250\" title=\"scientific image (right)\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/scientific-image-right-250x250.png\" alt=\"A black background with think circles that have red and yellow outlines\" height=\"250\" width=\"250\" title=\"scientific image (right)\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/noscript>\n\t\t<figcaption>Healthy red blood cells where the cell membrane has been labelled red and the red blood cell glycocalyx has been labelled green.<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t<h2>Hear from the researchers<\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;We know the microscopic kidney blood vessels are damaged in the earliest stages in some kidney diseases, but they are largely inaccessible to us clinically. Detecting damage to these tiny blood vessels using a blood test would allow us to identify signs of kidney disease earlier than ever before.&#8221; <b>Dr Matthew Butler<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;These results\u00a0show a blood test could be used to\u00a0identify\u00a0signs of disease\u00a0affecting the kidneys at a much earlier stage.\u00a0Earlier identification is key to\u00a0making\u00a0proactive\u00a0interventions to protect kidney health and improving outcomes for patients.&#8221;\u00a0<b>Professor Simon Satchell<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Simon-Satchell-1.pdf-250x250.jpg\" alt=\"Head and shoulder of Simon, he&#039;s wearing a blue and white checked shirt, and clear framed glasses\" height=\"250\" width=\"250\" title=\"Professor Simon Satchell\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidneyresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Simon-Satchell-1.pdf-250x250.jpg\" alt=\"Head and shoulder of Simon, he&#039;s wearing a blue and white checked shirt, and clear framed glasses\" height=\"250\" width=\"250\" title=\"Professor Simon Satchell\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/noscript>\n\t\t<figcaption>Professor Simon Satchell<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tRead our latest research news\t<\/h2>\n\t\t<h2>Why not make a donation now?<\/h2>\n\t\t<p>Every \u00a3 counts towards transforming treatments for people living with kidney disease.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kidneyresearchuk.org\/support\/donate\/\"  target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDonate now\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New research\u00a0has been published in Nature Communications, led by Dr Matthew Butler,\u00a0Professor Simon\u00a0Satchell\u00a0and their team at the University of Bristol. The\u00a0study,\u00a0funded by\u00a0Kidney Research UK and the\u00a0Medical Research Council, shows\u00a0a blood test could detect damage to the tiny blood vessels of the kidneys. These tiny blood vessels become\u00a0damaged\u00a0at the\u00a0early stages\u00a0of\u00a0certain diseases,\u00a0including\u00a0some types of\u00a0vascular and kidney\u00a0disease.\u00a0\u00a0 Blood&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":162051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-162050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Could a new blood test identify kidney damage earlier? - Kidney Research UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The new research study from the University of Bristol shows a blood test could detect damage to the tiny blood vessels of the 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