TOPLINE:
Researchers have identified six blood biomarkers tied to changes in arterial inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers selected 24 candidate blood biomarkers previously associated with both RA and systemic inflammation.
- They measured biomarkers in 109 patients in the , which tested whether different treatments for RA reduced arterial inflammation.
- Along with biomarkers, they measured arterial inflammation via [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT scans at baseline and 24 weeks.
TAKEAWAY:
- Baseline levels of the biomarkers serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, adiponectin, YKL-4, and osteoprotegerin were associated with significant changes in arterial inflammation on FDG-PET/CT scans.
- Adding these biomarkers to predictive models improved the adjusted R2 from 0.20 to 0.32 (likelihood ratio test, P = .0005).
- Researchers plan to validate these associations in a larger, external patient cohort.
IN PRACTICE:
This study is too preliminary to have practical applications.
SOURCE:
The study, led by Daniel Solomon, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, was published on February 28 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
DISCLOSURES:
The research was funded by a National Institutes of Health grant as well as the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium. Several authors reported salary support or consulting fees from pharmaceutical companies.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.