Patent ID: 8224579

Claim:
A method for identifying subtype II osteoarthritis suffered by a human subject, said method comprising the steps of: providing synovial fluid obtained from the subject; determining, in the synovial fluid, the levels of a first subset of polypeptides comprising alpha-2-macroglobulin, ceruloplasmin (ferroxidase), albumin, group-specific component (vitamin D binding protein), inter-alpha (globulin) inhibitor H4 (plasma Kallikrein-sensitive glycoprotein), complement component 3, apolipoprotein E, fibrinogen alpha chain isoform alpha-E preproprotein, apolipoprotein H (beta-2-glycoprotein I), and inter-alpha (globulin) inhibitor H2 to obtain a first test polypeptide expression profile, or the levels of a second subset of polypeptides comprising fibronectin I isoform 3 preproprotein and histidine-rich glycoprotein to obtain a second test polypeptide expression profile; and comparing the first test polypeptide expression profile or the second test polypeptide expression profile to a control polypeptide expression profile, wherein the control polypeptide expression profile is a subtype I osteoarthritis expression profile comprising the levels of all the polypeptides of the first subset and the second subset in the determining step, and wherein an increase in the levels of polypeptides of the first subset of polypeptides in the subject, or a decrease in the levels of the polypeptides of the second subset identifies the subject as having subtype II osteoarthritis.