A longitudinal study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that elevated peripheral blood eosinophils found in the white-cell differential of blood tests might better predict the severity of inflammatory bowel disease in a subgroup of patients.

“These results are very important, as we are always searching for predictors of more severe disease in order to risk-stratify our patients,” said Dr. Alyssa Parian of Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the study.