New Blood Test to Diagnose Arthritis Could Be Available Within Two Years
Scientists have developed a new test which can serve as a diagnostic tool for arthritis, facilitating early treatment and potential cure.
During the test development, plasma samples and synovial fluid from patients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory joint diseases with early and advanced stage, and a control group of healthy individuals were analyzed by mass spectrometry.
The researchers detected damaged proteins in patients’ samples which showed high specifity for joint disease of early and late stage but have identified them at significantly lower levels in samples of healthy controls.
Glycated, oxidized and nitrated proteins and amino acids were detected in synovial fluid and plasma of arthritic patients with characteristic patterns found in early and advanced OA and RA, and non-RA, with respect to healthy controls. These proteins, together with hydroxyproline and anti-CCP antibodies status may form a new lab panel which would allow a plasma biochemical analysis with a relatively high sensitivity and specificity toward diagnosis at an early stage and differentiation of the arthritic disease.
Dr Naila Rabbani from the Warwick Medical School (Warwick Medical School) in the UK has led the team that developed the test. She called the results "great achievement for the detection of arthritis at an early stage."
The test could be available within the next two years.
Tags: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lab