Arthritis Research UK joins forces with Medical Research Council to tackle childhood arthritis

This study will look at differences in genes, immune cells, blood proteins and other features that are seen in patients who respond well to treatments, and those who develop uveitis, a condition that causes eye inflammation and affects approximately 15% of children with arthritis.It is hoped the study will allow researchers to tailor personalised treatments and create a biomarkers test for childhood arthritis which would:Identify potential new treatmentsHelp doctors determine what the right treatment plan is for each patientIdentify which children are at risk of developing uveitisProject long-term outcomes for children with childhood arthritis to better predict their health in futureLead researcher, Professor Lucy Wedderburn at the UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, said: “Using a stratified medicine approach could be a gamechanger in childhood arthritis and its associated uveitis. A biomarker test could lead to methods for accurately predicting the right treatment for the right duration, halting the worsening of symptoms and leading to shorter time to remission. Nothing like that has been done before in this area of research.”Dr Natalie Carter, head of research liaison and evaluation at Arthritis Research UK, said:“Twelve thousand children in the UK have juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and this can have a significant impact on their physical, emotional and social well-being. In addition to the pain they experience, over 50% of these children may go...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news