Blood Test Could Detect Early-Stage Rheumatoid Arthritis
A blood test that measures citrullinated proteins (CPs) could lead to osteoarthritis (OA) diagnoses years before the physical symptoms manifest in patients, according to a recent study. Further, researchers found that CPs could help detect early stage rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients.
In the past, researchers established that patients with RA possess antibodies to CPs, however, it was not considered that those with osteoarthritis could also carry the CP biomarker in their blood at early stages of the illness. 1
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For the study, researchers created an algorithm using hydroxyproline (the bone-derived substance) and the 3 biomarkers, CPs, and anti-CP antibodies. 1,2
Investigators then used the algorithm to create a single test that could detect the 2 types of arthritis at early stages before any joint damage had occurred. 1,2
“It has been long established that the autoimmunity of early-stage RA leads to antibodies to CPs, but the autoimmunity, and hence antibodies, are absent in early-stage OA,” said Nalia Rabbani, PhD, lead researcher of the study and researchers at the University of Warwick. 1
“Using this knowledge and applying the algorithm of biomarkers we developed provides the basis to discriminate between these two major types of arthritis at an early stage,” she said.1
The complete study is published in the March issue of Scientific Reports.
-Michelle Canales Butcher
References:
1. University of Warwick. First blood test for osteoarthritis could soon be available. March 20, 2015. www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/first_blood_test/. Accessed March 23, 2015.
2. Ahmed U, Anwar A, Savage RS, et al. Biomarkers of early stage osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and musculoskeletal health. Sci Rep. 2015 March [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1038/srep09259.