Dublin researchers win prize for blood test discovery

A clinical research team based in Dublin has won a prestigious award from the UK Royal College of General Practitioners. It recognises their discovery of a simple blood test that can predict but also help prevent heart failure in susceptible patients.

The team at University College Dublin and St Vincent's Hospital was led by Prof Ken McDonald and Dr Mark Ledwidge. They discovered a reliable screening method to detect patients at risk of repeated heart failure, information that helped reduce heart failure incidents by 45 per cent and led to a 40 per cent reduction in hospital admissions for cardiovascular episodes.

The team received the Royal College’s Research Paper of the Year award, which was presented at the body’s annual primary car conference in Liverpool.

“Their study is a true example of how research in primary care can be translated into every day general practice and has the potential to save the lives of thousands of our patients,” said Prof Chris Salisbury, chair of the Royal College’s research paper award programme.

The simple blood test was trialled in 1,374 participants from 39 primary care centres in Ireland. It detects a particular protein released when the heart is under increased stress or strain.

Patients identified as being at risk of heart failure were given a heart ultrasound,lifestyle advice and were reviewed by their GP and cardiovascular consultant. This in turn led to the major reduction in heart episodes and in hospital admissions.

Their paper describing the work was originally published in July 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.