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“Having a biomarker signature that indicates active inflammation could be very useful in helping guide treatment and for helping us understand the underlying mechanisms associated with the disease,” said Dr. Nadera Sweiss, professor of medicine and chief of the department of rheumatology in the UIC College of Medicine and corresponding author of the paper.
“We found that active inflammation, as shown in PET/CT scans, was associated with active disease states,” said Dr. Christian Ascoli, a resident in the departments of internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care at UIC, and an author on the paper. “Lymphocyte levels were lower in patients with more inflammation, indicating that lymphocyte levels are also a marker of active disease.”
Using measurements of blood lymphocyte levels in combination with PET/CT scans could help guide treatment, Sweiss explained, since treatment differs for active versus inactive disease states.
“Our finding represents another tool in our toolbox for guiding treatment of this very variable disease, and helping us learn more about its underlying biology,” she said.