First blood test for osteoarthritis could soon be available

The first blood test for osteoarthritis could soon be developed, thanks to research by the University of Warwick. The research findings could potentially lead to patients being tested for osteoarthritis and diagnosed several years before the onset of physical symptoms. Conducted by the University's Medical School, the research identified a biomarker linked to both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Whilst there are established tests for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the newly identified biomarker could lead to one which can diagnose both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis (OA). The research's focus was citrullinated proteins (CPs), a biomarker suspected to be present in blood of people with early stage rheumatoid arthritis. It had previously been established that patients with RA have antibodies to CPs, but it was not thought that this was the same for those with OA. However, the Warwick researchers found for the first time increased CPs levels in both early-stage OA and RA.