Photo: ©iStock/Tonpor Kasa

(04/17/2025) VA Nebraska-Western Iowa researchers led a national team to identify biomarkers that could significantly improve the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), a chronic lung disease associated with lower quality of life and increased mortality. Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a ten-times higher risk of interstitial lung disease. By studying blood from 2,000 Veterans with rheumatoid arthritis in the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) Registry, 6% of whom had RA-ILD, the researchers identified eight blood biomarkers linked to RA-ILD. These biomarkers allowed the researchers to predict who was at risk for RA-ILD more accurately than using clinical risk factors alone. The findings could improve screening for RA-ILD and could aid in the development of targeted treatments. (Arthritis & Rheumatology, Mar. 3, 2025)