title: Current and future trends in biomarker discovery and development of companion diagnostics for arthritis.
abstract: Musculoskeletal diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are complex multifactorial disorders that are chronic in nature and debilitating for patients. A number of drug families are available to clinicians to manage these disorders but few tests exist to target these to the most responsive patients. As a consequence, drug failure and switching to drugs with alternate modes of action is common. In parallel, a limited number of laboratory tests are available which measure biological indicators or 'biomarkers' of disease activity, autoimmune status, or joint damage. There is a growing awareness that assimilating the fields of drug selection and diagnostic tests into 'companion diagnostics' could greatly advance disease management and improve outcomes for patients. This review aims to highlight: the current applications of biomarkers in rheumatology with particular focus on companion diagnostics; developments in the fields of proteomics, genomics, microbiomics, imaging and bioinformatics and how integration of these technologies into clinical practice could support therapeutic decisions.
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, University of Ulster, C-TRIC Building, Altnagelvin Hospital campus, Glenshane Road, Londonderry, BT47 6SB, UK.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bustard
authors.forename: Cathy M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McGeough
authors.forename: Helena A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Crockard
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: Jayne K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Blayney
authors.forename: Philip V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bjourson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019295:Computational Biology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D064307:Microbiota; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000639:trends*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: bioinformatics.companion diagnostics; genomics; imaging; microbiomics; proteomics; rheumatology; stratified medicine