Healio Rheumatology reported on study findings from HSS rheumatologist Dana E. Orange, MD, who reviewed the gene expression analysis of synovial tissue from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis.

The research indicated that there are three synovial subtypes including low inflammatory, high inflammatory and mixed.

According to Dr. Orange, the findings suggest that synovial biopsies might be worth considering for patients who do not respond to immune-targeting drugs.

"It may be that these patients also have little synovial inflammation and immune suppression may not be useful for them. We are working now to better understand mechanisms of pain in this subgroup. In the future, we also hope to develop blood and imaging biomarkers to identify this subset and thereby guide treatment decisions," said Dr. Orange.

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