Blood biomarkers may predict disease activity: Study
Markers may also predict likelihood of developing condition
Blood biomarkers, such as elevated levels of certain white blood cells and other markers of inflammation, may help doctors predict who is likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis and help clinicians determine the degree of disease activity, a study found.
There are “basic, easily accessible, and affordable indicators that can be used in the prediction of disease activity and can help facilitate clinical follow-ups in patients suffering from rheumatological illnesses such as assessing systemic [whole body] inflammation in [ankylosing spondylitis],” the researchers wrote.
The study, “The association and clinical significance of hematological biomarkers in ankylosing spondylitis,” was published in Scientific Reports.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that causes inflammation in the joints between the bones of the spine, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, pain, stiffness, and sometimes long-term disability. This can limit a patient’s ability to move and perform daily tasks.
Diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis early is important, but current diagnostic tests are limited. The study looked at whether certain inflammatory biomarkers, measured from standard blood tests, could help diagnose ankylosing spondylitis earlier and more accurately.
Inflammation markers
The study involved 171 adults with ankylosing spondylitis, with a mean age of 35. According to the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, a measure of ankylosing spondylitis activity, 45 patients had active disease and 126 were in remission, meaning they had minor or no symptoms.
The study included 171 healthy individuals of about the same age to serve as controls.
Results showed that some blood biomarkers were higher in patients than in controls. These included white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), platelets, and specific types of white blood cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes. CRP and ESR are markers of inflammation.
Biomarkers that can be calculated based on blood tests, such as the systemic immune-inflammation index and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, were also higher in patients, indicating more inflammation.
Some of these inflammatory biomarkers were higher in patients with active disease than in those who were in remission, suggesting that they may not only “be essential biomarkers in clinical settings to identify the presence of [ankylosing spondylitis],” but also have potential application in predicting disease activity, the researchers wrote.
