Knee Osteoarthritis Could Be Predicted Years In Advance By Blood Tests

(CTN News) – A new study suggests a blood test may be able to detect the signs of knee osteoarthritis at least eight years before they appear on x-rays.

Researchers analyzed the blood of 200 white British women, of whom half had knee osteoarthritis and half did not, and discovered that a small number of biomarkers distinguished the women with osteoarthritis from those without.

It was exciting to find out that we were able to identify patients with knee osteoarthritis eight years before they experienced any changes on the X-rays,” said the senior study author. A professor at Duke University School of Medicine, in Durham, N.C., Virginia Byers Kraus specializes in the departments of Medicine, Pathology, and Orthopedic Surgery.

The study, published April 26 in Science Advances, builds on previous research that demonstrated 74% accuracy in predicting knee arthritis progression and 85% accuracy in diagnosing knee arthritis.

There are approximately 35 million adults in the United States who suffer from knee arthritis. While there are no cures for this disease, new therapies may be successful if they identify the disease early and slow its progression.

As with heart disease, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease, knee osteoarthritis is a chronic illness that is typically diagnosed at a later stage. If the disease is detected sooner, doctors may be able to prevent it from becoming debilitating, according to the researchers.

Since we have been considering osteoarthritis as a disease with X-ray changes until now, this is a very important finding. Kraus explained that, in fact, there are many factors going on before that, which can prevent disability, pain, and deterioration of quality of life for people who develop the X-ray changes,” if we can identify it much earlier.

If patients discover that they are at high risk for knee osteoarthritis through a blood test, Kraus advises them to lose weight, exercise, eat healthily, or even receive steroid injections.

In addition, researchers highlighted that knee osteoarthritis is not only painful for patients, but also results in most joint replacements, resulting in a significant economic impact.

Stephen Messier, a Wake Forest University professor and an Arthritis Foundation-funded investigator, shared these concerns.

In addition to increasing healthcare costs, osteoarthritis [OA] causes poorer patient outcomes, according to Messier. By detecting knee OA early, clinicians can intervene earlier and reduce pain and loss of function before joint replacement surgery is required.

The test needs to be validated before it can be deployed in the general population, however. Moreover, this test was conducted only on white women, and future studies should include a wider range of patients.

Aside from knee arthritis, Kraus notes that there are about 100 different types of arthritis, including OA, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

To determine whether hips, hands, and spines are similarly affected, future studies will examine their hips, hands, and spines.

Overall, the researchers noted that the use of a blood test could aid in the development of early and targeted intervention for patients with knee osteoarthritis who previously would not have been identified as such.

Kraus believes one of the takeaways is that osteoarthritis affects not only older people, but also younger people, especially those with major joint injuries. Lifestyle management is extremely important, regardless of whether you are at risk for chronic diseases.”

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