Swelling and deformity of the end joint of the finger: this is the most common place for osteoarthritis in the hand. Now, a new blood test could help doctors diagnose osteoarthritis earlier. (Photo credit: C. Noel Henley, MD via flickr)
A new blood test could help doctors diagnose osteoarthritis in its earlier stages. Blood tests based on antibodies already exist for rheumatoid arthritis, however diagnosis of osteoarthritis relies on expensive equipment like MRI scanning machines, and even then it often can’t be detected until it is relatively advanced.
In the new study, researchers used a computer-based approach known as ‘machine learning’ to identify a set of inflammatory proteins in blood that together act as an early-stage biomarker for osteoarthritis.
Original research paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface on June 10, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
