Biomarker Predictors of Osteoarthritis Save

Science Advances has reported that Duke University researchers have validated a biomarkers of osteoarthritis that may be identified 2 years before the appearance of radiographic OA.  Six peptides (biomarker) demonstrated an AUC 77% probability of successfully predicting knee osteoarthritis at least eight years before OA was evident on x-rays, Duke Health researchers report.

Blood samples were drawn from a United Kingdom database, the researchers analyzed serum of 200 white women, half diagnosed with OA and the other half without the disease, matched by body mass index and age.

In previous studies, the blood biomarker test demonstrated 74% accuracy in predicting knee OA progression and 85% accuracy in diagnosing knee OA.  Prediction based on these blood biomarkers was superior to traditional prediction based on age and BMI (AUC 51%) or knee pain (AUC 57%).  In addition, they found 24 protein biomarkers predicting incident knee OA, with 58% of these also predicting knee OA progression. This suggest the existence of a pathophysiological “OA continuum”, according to researchers. 

The identification of early osteoarthritis could provide a ‘window of opportunity’ wherein better interventions lead to better outcomes.