Researchers ID Biomarker That Could Improve Autoimmune Disease Treatment
New research from the VA Portland Health Care System and Oregon Health & Sciences University has identified a biomarker that can potentially improve autoimmune disease treatment outcomes. The research team investigated ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory disease that causes vertebrae in the spine to fuse together over time, to understand the condition’s underlying molecular mechanisms. Also called axial spondyloarthritis, AS is a rare condition estimated to affect around 0.1-4.7% of the global population. It causes symptoms such as stooped posture, back pain, anemia, digestive illness, fatigue and weight loss. Scientists still don’t know the exact cause of the condition but…