ROCHESTER, Minn., April 3 U.S. scientists have discovered a signature pattern in the blood associated with the autoimmune disease dermatomyositis.The Minnesota Partnership researchers said the finding might lead to an alternative diagnostic tool, rather than a more invasive muscle biopsy now needed to identify the condition in which the immune system overreacts in some way to attack some part of the body.The partnership is a collaborative effort by scientists from the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota and the state of Minnesota."This is a wonderful and easy way to monitor patients," said Dr. Ann Reed, a Mayo Clinic rheumatologist and co-investigator of the study. "This research matters for people who are asking questions such as: 'Is my disease still active? Is it OK to stop treatment? How much longer should I continue with medication?'" "With this fingerprint, you can look at thousands of factors, not just one at a time," added study co-investigator Dr. Timothy Behrens of the University of Minnesota. "It opens the door to a much broader picture of the condition." The research is detailed in journal Molecular Medicine.Copyright 2007 by UPI
