Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disorder leading to substantial pain and disability. The most severe subtype is erosive hand OA characterized by an abrupt onset, local inflammation, subchondral erosions and worse outcomes than non-erosive disease. Biomarkers of hand OA could help to diagnose the disease earlier, to distinguish patients with erosive and non-erosive forms, to assess disease severity or to predict its future progression. The objective of this review was to summarize the role of potential biomarkers of hand OA. A PubMed search for soluble biomarkers associated with hand OA was performed from inception to June 2017. In total, 21 relevant publications were found and reviewed. These publications identified 20 potential biomarkers of hand OA. C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type II collagen, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, osteocalcin, hyaluronan, urinary pentosidine, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, osteoprotegerin and interleukin 1 have been shown as potential biomarkers for assessing disease severity. C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen, hyaluronan, urinary pentosidine and myeloperoxidase were shown to differentiate between erosive and non-erosive hand OA patients. A number of biomarkers reflecting joint tissue metabolism and inflammation have been studied in hand OA. Some were identified as potential biomarkers of disease severity and progression, others were shown to differentiate between erosive and non-erosive disease. However, further research is necessary to assess the value of biomarkers for use in clinical practice.
Keywords: Biomarker; C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide; Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein; Hand osteoarthritis; Hyaluronan.