Marker for severe rheumatoid arthritis is identified

Specific proteins in the blood of people with an aggressive form of rheumatoid arthritis have been identified by US scientists. It is hoped that the discovery (published in Science Translational Medicine) will lead to a new diagnostic test and treatments for the disease.

A series of experiments were done on an enzyme (PAD4) that is thought to trigger rheumatoid arthritis in some people. The team found that unique antibody proteins associated with the enzyme occurred in most blood samples from patients with severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

And 80% of people involved in the study who had the antibodies had experienced a deterioration of their condition over the previous 12 months, compared to 53% of those without the antibodies. People without the antibodies usually had milder forms of rheumatoid arthritis than those with the proteins.

The findings could help to diagnose severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis at an earlier stage.

“Identifying early on a subset of patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis could benefit their health, as these patients could start aggressive drug therapy immediately and find the most effective treatment option,” says lead author, Dr Antony Rosen.

Finding out who is more likely to develop severe rheumatoid arthritis is vital to prevent joint damage and deterioration. These findings have opened up a new avenue of potential treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.