NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Newly identified biomarkers could aid in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and help guide therapy, Canada-based researchers report. Accurately differentiating between Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is important for ensuring early and appropriate treatment. However, the conditions can’t be reliably distinguished based on clinical symptoms, site of disease,…
More Evidence Biomarkers Predict RA Relapse with DMARD Taper
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—For rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in stable remission, a panel of inflammatory markers in blood can help predict the odds of relapse when disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy is tapered, say researchers from Germany. The multibiomarker disease activity (MBDA) score, when combined with anticitrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) testing, can predict relapse in…
Gene Expression Markers in T Cells Help Identify SLE Patient Subtypes
Researchers used T cell transcriptome analysis in a small-scale study, identifying gene expression of specific patient subtypes and finding that expression alteration of T cells may correlate with severity of SLE rather than its presentation…
CD64 May Be an RA-Specific Biomarker
A new study found patients with early RA had increased membrane and soluble CD64. After receiving anti-rheumatic therapy, patients’ symptoms and CD64 levels decreased, suggesting CD64 is an RA biomarker…
EULAR 2015: Problems with Biomarkers
ROME, Italy—The traditional approach to trials to assess new biomarkers and related treatments has largely been inefficient, and a better strategy is needed to make stratified treatment available for patients more quickly, an expert said at EULAR 2015, the annual congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). Mahesh Parmar, PhD, director of the Medical…
Progress Made in Search for a Fibromyalgia Biomarker
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) all exhibit multifaceted manifestations, and many patients exhibit overlapping comorbidities. However, patients with FMS are distinct from others in that they experience widespread pain, fatigue and mood changes, including anxiety and depression. Although its hallmark symptom of pain causes rheumatologists to consider FMS a pain disorder,…
Letters: Biomarkers for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Biomarkers for RA I read the article, “Finding Biomarkers in RA Remains Elusive Goal” (February 2015 The Rheumatologist), with great interest. The author correctly identifies the multi-biomarker disease activity assay (MBDA; Vectra DA) as a potential biomarker that identifies RA patients at risk for radiographic progression. The author names a study presented at the 2014…
2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: Biomarker Development
Molecular profiling plays key role
Biomarkers in Rheumatoid Arthritis Remain Elusive
Biomarkers to assess disease progression are in use, but none can predict which therapy will work best for each patient
2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: Predicting Outcomes for Patients with Lupus Nephritis
Better understanding of kidney inflammation and fibrosis in LN, along with finding novel disease biomarkers could help rheumatologists gauge patients’ response to therapy