A new blood test could predict who will suffer from arthritis before it hits, allowing for early treatment to stop irreparable damage being done. British scientists hope the test could be available within five years – signifying hope for sufferers and potentially saving the NHS millions in expensive joint replacements.
Teams from Bristol University have identified two biomarkers – or indicators in the blood – which could help distinguish between a healthy person and one with osteoarthritis, a move which they hope would then help them identify which patients’ condition will worsen.
A major cause of pain and disability, it’s caused by wear and tear on the joints, specifically the cartilage. It also leads to the synovial fluid, a jelly-like substance which is secreted by the membrane that surrounds the joint, becoming thin and less elastic.
The condition occurs more frequently in women than men, can sometimes be very painful, making movement and everyday tasks difficult.
Researcher Dr Mohammed Sharif of Bristol University told the Express that there was an urgent need to find better indicators of the disease, and that he and his team had identified two which were ‘very useful’. The indicators – so called ‘biomarkers’ – are found in the blood.
He said: ‘We hope to find out whether they can reliably distinguish between a healthy person and a person with osteoarthritis, identify which patients’ condition will get worse, and whether a particular drug is working or not.’
The Bristol University team has now been handed £300,000 by medical research charity Arthritis Research UK.
They will use the money to investigate if the biomarkers can be used for diagnosis and also to inform doctors if a patient’s condition is likely to worsen over time.
Source: Mail online