(evident in Rheumatoid Arthritis, RA) can significantly impact the working of specific drug treatments as the study revealed 1,277 genes that specifically had
therapies (either rituximab or tocilizumab).
Molecular Profiling in Arthritis
The team applied a data analysis technique called machine learning models to develop computer algorithms that could predict drug response in individual patients and correlated it with gene profiling from biopsies, tissue pathology, or clinical factors.
“Incorporating molecular information prior to prescribing arthritis treatments to patients could forever change the way we treat the condition. Patients would benefit from a personalised approach that has a far greater chance of success, rather than the trial-and-error drug prescription that is currently the norm. These results are incredibly exciting in demonstrating the potential at our fingertips, however, the field is still in its infancy and additional confirmatory studies will be required to fully realise the promise of precision medicine in RA,” says Professor Costantino Pitzalis, at the Queen Mary University of London.
The incorporation of these signatures in future diagnostic tests will be a necessary step to translate these findings into routine clinical care.
Source: Medindia
