Introduction

Diagnostic method based on circulating MicroRNAs able to support the clinician in the diagnosis of inflammatory myopathies through a simple blood test. The ratio between two circulating microRNAs can distinguish patients with inflammatory myopathies from other myo-related pathologies.

Technical features

Idiopatic inflammatory myopathies, also called myositis, are a group of rare diseases characterized by myalgia and muscle weakness associated with lymphocytic infiltration in muscle tissue.

Currently, the diagnosis of inflammatory myopathy is rather complex, time-consuming and expensive, including blood tests, magnetic resonance and muscle biopsy, the latter being quite invasive for the patient.
The invention concerns a diagnostic method based on circulating MicroRNAs able to provide a rapid and easy to
analyze method to support the clinician. In particular, this method is based on an index given by the ratio between two
MicroRNAs measured in plasma – through a simple blood test – able to discriminate myositic patients from non-myositic ones.

Possible Applications

• Non- invasive diagnosis of inflammatory myopathy (myositis)

Advantages

• non invasive diagnostic method based on a simple blood test
• low cost and easy to produce
• reduces costs and time in the overall diagnosis process
• greater reliability and objectivity in the diagnosis of myositis as compared to the current combination of different diagnostic methods whose result is subject to the evaluation and interpretation of the individual clinician