Biomarkers to detect psoriatic arthritis

[Fred]

This study suggests biomarkers are better at detecting psoriatic arthritis than C-reactive protein (CRP) levels alone.

Quote:

---

Objective:
There is a high prevalence of undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients with psoriasis. Identifying soluble biomarkers for PsA will help in screening psoriasis patients for appropriate rheumatology referral. We therefore aimed to investigate whether serum levels of novel markers previously discovered by quantitative mass spectrometric analysis of synovial fluid and skin biopsies performs better than the C-reactive protein (CRP) level in differentiating PsA patients from those with psoriasis without PsA (PsC).

Methods:
In this case–control study, serum samples were obtained from 100 subjects with PsA, 100 with PsC, and 100 healthy controls. Patients with PsA and PsC were group matched for age, sex, psoriasis duration, and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and were not currently receiving biologic treatment. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, 4 high-priority markers (Mac-2-binding protein [M2BP], CD5-like protein [CD5L], myeloperoxidase [MPO], and integrin β5 [ITGβ5]), as well as previously established markers (matrix metalloproteinase 3 [MMP-3] and CRP level) were assayed. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted.

Results:
In comparisons to controls, CD5L, ITGβ5, M2BP, MPO, MMP-3, and CRP level were independently associated with PsA, while only CD5L, M2BP, and MPO were independently associated with PsC alone. In comparisons to PsC, ITGβ5, M2BP, and CRP level were independently associated with PsA. ROC analysis of this model shows an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.80–0.90). The model that included CRP level alone had an AUC of 0.71 (95% CI 0.64–0.78).

Conclusion:
CD5L, ITGβ5, M2BP, MPO, MMP-3, and CRP level are markers for PsA. The combination of ITGβ5, M2BP, and CRP level differentiates PsA from PsC, and performs better than CRP level alone.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

*Funding: AbbVie, The Krembil Foundation and the Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology program at the University of Toronto.

[Caroline]

Good to be able to better diagnose PsA.
Still I dont think that it is sensible to bring the patient closer to rheumatology.

[Turnedlight]

My derm said there were no blood tests that could help diagnose me.. she just did it based on evidence..

[jiml]

My derm said there were no blood tests that could help diagnose me.. she just did it based on evidence..

I guess sometimes the evidence points towards it and it seems the most likely diagnosis but it is good to know there are markers to determine a diagnosis, but it just goes to show that they can't know everything or have the resources to do some of the tests