Biomarker

If there was any question about whether rheumatologists would utilize an effective biomarker that can predict response to a commonly used class of drugs, it was answered by a recent study in Rheumatology International.

The adjusted multibiomarker disease activity test for rheumatoid arthritis is prognostic for radio progression, and is a stronger predictor than conventional risk factors, according to data published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.

Using clinical data, serum biomarkers and multi-biomarker disease activity, researchers have developed and validated a prognostic score that can predict 3-year cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to findings.

The novel spectroscopic inflammatory biomarker GlycA was positively associated with depression symptom severity, according to study results published in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

New data indicate that circulating microRNAs may increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with chronic hepatitis C-related cirrhosis and a sustained virologic response.

Gut microbiota-specific immunoglobulin A cells acted as a systemic mediator in MS, according to findings published in Science Immunology — findings that also suggest “a critical role” for mucosal B cells during active neuroinflammation.

Accurately diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis is a challenge for physicians, who must rely on a combination of symptoms and inflammation in place of a definitive blood marker.

Researchers have detected plasma phosphorylated-tau217 in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease, indicating that this protein could be a biomarker for early disease pathology, according to findings published in JAMA Neurology.

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia who opted for biomarker-based treatment achieved better outcomes than those who opted for standard chemotherapy, according to results of the Beat AML Master Clinical Trial published in Nature Medicine.

As breath ammonia concentration increased at each chronic kidney disease stage and correlated with eGFR and CKD biomarkers, researchers said it can be used to screen for “non-life threatening or non-serious CKD” at a cutoff of 886 ppb.