Genetic Discovery Could Lead to Early Detection, Treatment for Osteoarthritis
12 July 2022 12:30 Genetic defects that lead to abnormal inflammation in the hands, hips, knees, and other joints may help explain why some people are more prone to developing severe osteoarthritis than others, according to scientists from the University of Utah Health. Photo credit: Getty Images An overactive inflammatory response can trigger the most common form of arthritis A newly detected defect in a genetic signaling pathway that leads to a hyperactive inflammatory response could help explain why some people are more prone to developing severe osteoarthritis than others, according to University of Utah Health scientists. They say the discovery could eventually lead to ways to detect early onset of the disease—even before symptoms appear—and the development of new treatments for the disease. The findings, among the first to suggest that an increased inflammatory response is a major risk factor in osteoarthritis, appear in the Annals of the Rheumatic Disea