Blood test ‘detects agonising arthritis TWO YEARS before the first symptoms appear’

By Lizzie Parry

A BLOOD test could soon be used to diagnose arthritis, detecting the condition two years before the onset of irreversible symptoms.

Typically the most recognisable sign of the painful condition is noticing joint stiffness in the mornings.
But, experts hope the new test, which could be available in the next two years, will be able to identify osteoarthritis in the earliest stages.
It works by identifying the chemical signatures in the blood.
These chemicals are found in joints damaged by oxidation, nitration and glycation – the modification of proteins with oxygen, nitrogen and sugar molecules.
Dr Naila Rabbani, who led the study at the University of Warwick, said the new test can distinguish osteoarthritis from early-stage rheumatoid arthritis, and other lesser inflammatory joint problems.
Dr Rabbani said by diagnosing which type of arthritis a patient will develop at an early stage will allow for appropriate treatment, giving patients the best chance at effective treatment and potential prevention.
Patients with early-stage and advanced osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis were recruited to take part in the research – alongside a control group with good skeletal health.
Researchers took blood samples from each, and analysed them in the lab.
They detected a high level of damaged proteins in patients with both forms of arthritis – levels were markedly lower in the control group.
“Damage to proteins in the arthritic joint have been known for many years but this is the first time it has been exploited for early-stage diagnosis,” said Dr Rabbani.
“For the first time we measured small fragments from damaged proteins that leak from the joint into blood.
“The combination of changes in oxidised, nitrated and sugar-modified amino acids in blood enabled early stage detection and classification of arthritis – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other self-resolving inflammatory joint disease.
“This is a big step forward for early-stage detection of arthritis that will help start treatment early and prevent painful and debilitating disease.”
The findings are published by Arthritis Research and Therapy.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2068678/blood-test-detects-agonising-arthritis-two-years-before-the-first-symptoms-appear/