New approaches in laboratory diagnosis of osteoarthritis

: The article elucidates the new laboratory tests for chronic joint diseases, with special attention to quantitative and qualitative serum markers for metabolic and immunologic processes. The assays include the quantification of keratan sulphate, hyaluronan and beta-D-xylosyltransferase in serum and pyridinolin in serum and urine as markers for cartilage catabolism, as well as the detection of autoantibodies to cartilage matrix and cell components and cartilage-directed T-cell reactions in the patients. Taken together, these assays represent models for future laboratory diagnostic tools for the characterization of arthritic diseases. So far, however, it remains unclear whether they will prove to be adequate assays for the practicing physician.