Expression levels of selected genes can predict individual rheumatoid arthritis patient response to tumor necrosis factor alpha blocker treatment

AbstractObjectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have many therapeutic options; however, tools to predict individual patient response are limited. The Genefron personal diagnostic kit, developed by analyzing large datasets, utilizes selected interferon stimulated gene expressions to predict treatment response. This study evaluates the kit’s prediction accuracy of individual RA patients’ response to tumor necrosis alpha (TNFα) blockers.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on RA patients reported in published datasets. A prospective analysis assessed RA patients, before and 3 months after starting a TNFα blocker. Clinical response was evaluated according to EULAR response criteria. Blood samples were obtained before starting treatment and were analyzed utilizing the kit which measures expression levels of selected genes by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ROC analysis was applied to the published datasets and the prospective data.Results: The Genefron kit analysis of ...