Revolutionary Blood Test Reveals Knee Osteoarthritis Early, Promising Effective Prevention

Researchers at Duke Health have recently published a study that reveals how knee osteoarthritis can be predicted in women up to eight years before it can be detected by X-ray. The blood test developed by Dr. Virginia Byers Kraus, a professor of rheumatology at the Duke University Medical Center, identifies a unique immune response associated with osteoarthritis, which points to joint damage and low-grade inflammation.

Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that causes cartilage to wear away, bones to thicken, and inflammation, resulting in debilitating pain for those affected. While there is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, preventative measures can help slow down the progression of the disease. The blood test could be more effective if it could detect the disease earlier in its clinical setting, before significant damage and disability occur.

Kraus emphasized that by identifying at-risk individuals earlier in their lives, the blood test could be used to screen more people who could benefit from preventive interventions. Although the test is not yet available for clinical use, it holds promise for future applications in identifying and treating knee osteoarthritis in its early stages.