What is the current status of biochemical markers in the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of osteoarthritis?

Biochemical markers for osteoarthritis (OA) may serve different purposes. Since markers reflect ongoing dynamic metabolic processes in the joint tissues (cartilage, synovium, bone, etc.), they are most likely to be useful to predict prognosis and response to treatment, to monitor response to treatment, and for disease staging. Markers are currently being used at the research level for these purposes. The goal of using these markers to assess the disease process in the OA clinical trial setting or in the clinical routine has, however, not yet been reached.