This is a relatively new blood test used to predict potential success of RA drugs (rather than the usual “hit or miss, try this drug for 3 months to see if it works “ approach.)
My University rheum dr will not use it because it’s not FDA approved.
Thinking of going to private practice that uses this test.
Has anyone here used this test?
Pretty sure this hasn’t arrived on UK shores yet. May be wrong but I can’t find any literature pertaining to its use so far. It may be heading across the pond but I’ll bet it’ll be more expensive than the NHS will fork out for. No doubt there are private practices which will use it but if it hasn’t been approved by FDA in the US I suspect it won’t be mainstreamed here.
Thanks for the info. I’m in the USA. This Prism RA test is legit; & is fully covered by Medicare insurance.
It would be so helpful to be pointed in the direction of which RA med likely would/wouldn’t work, since they are so expensive & have so many side effects. “67% of patients do not respond to TNFi therapy.”
I am a severe, seropositive RA patient.
Waisting time & money on RA drugs that don’t work & have intolerable side effects (& bad drs) has caused me years of pain, suffering & joint damage.
Couldn’t agree more and I’m sure we would all agree with having a specific to RA blood test but money is always the deciding factor after, of course, the legitimacy of the test so, until we’re fortunate enough (and it will come) to having this sort of definitive answer, we’ll just muddle on with the guesswork of what bits of us respond to what best……..🥴
Probably not licensed yet…..but lots of information available on line,…. Surprisingly it doesn’t sound mega expensive.
not available in UK yet.
It is a great idea and hopefully if used here would save millions of pounds on meds that probably won’t work on their patient. I’d pay for it, if it meant avoiding the long time of trial and error we now sometimes need to endure.
Exactly. Why university rheumatologists are not using this technology is absurd. USA Medicare does not cover frivolous, unverified testing & this test is covered.
Now I have to change drs again!
Absolutely cruel.
Haven’t heard it mentioned in U.K. on the NHS nor Privately…& if it wasclivended here I think NRAS would have mentioned it.
Evidently I can get it from some USA private practice rheums, but not the famous, illustrious, “treat to target” Ivy League University rheums….
I’ll probably be broke & dead soon.
Recently I heard a talk about research into identifying which biological treatment would work. This was by synovial biopsy. There was no correlation between the results from the synovial biopsy and the antibodies in the blood test. This might help with any decision about a new blood test.
what about kinesiology ? My chiropractor was able ( some years ago now) to give me a vial to hold and then test muscle response.
By asking the body whether this would suit it and measuring muscle response.
When I started biosimilars about 18 months ago I was able to tell my consultant that “no- Amgevita wouldn’t work but, yes- Benepali would. And, indeed, Benepali worked overnight !
It seems that we just need to tune in to what our body is saying.
Can you please explain how you knew what biologic to take based on muscle response?
….I will do my best to explain- without Tricia, my chiropractor , measuring the response by feeling resistance ( that is with my arm bent at 90 degrees she would actually vocalise something like “is this going to help You” while I hold the vial in my left hand - then she gently pushes my right forearm inwards while I stay relaxed so that she can feel the response. ) from my feeling during this muscle testing - I have learned to ask my body the same question - even without holding a sample of whatever it is.
This sounds very weird but I have to say that I then instinctively know what the answer is
It comes down to a kind of learned experience in my view.
I know that most medical folk will totally dismiss this - but it has worked for me over a period of twenty years or more.
The nearest analogy I can think of is water divining ( by the way I can also do that ! )
I wonder what you will make of this. ??
Are you holding a vial of the RA meds during this process?
Not actually holding the meds - which I am sure would work if rheumatology had the skills.
I explained it to my consultant and he did not laugh but agreed how much help it would be in avoiding the trial , error, and side effects of incompatible medications. He said , quite seriously « We need Tricia ! «
I couldn’t put them in touch because Tricia is long retired and I don’t currently have contact.
I do wonder why kiniesiology is not explored further.
Well, the rheumies I’ve seen don’t even do a physical examination- just use bldwork - which I think is bad medicine - especially with RA. And they don’t care about checking my feet- when hands & feet are the main sites of joint destruction?
Sounds like you are highly intuitive. I had relatives that used divining rods successfully on their farms to find water; but I did not inherit that talent!
Blood Test
Blood test frequency 
RA? What RA?
blood test
Is there a DNA / Blood test for RA Markers?
