You’d think in today’s world of technology, we’d be ahead of the curve, especially where it pertains to diagnostic/prognostic testing.

The thing about discovery is that it takes time, even the simplest ones–even the ones that make you think, Duh!

 For instance, as reported by hcplive, researchers just recently discovered that tests to determine cutaneous sarcoidosis severity should be standardized across specialties in order to provide reliable and consistent results, specifically in clinical trials–mostly because the management of the disease requires dependable and persistent care.

Wait… rare diseases could be managed with care? Wait… there needs to be criteria for diagnostic testing? Wait…

In a cross-sectional study, researchers studied how doctors–four dermatologists, three pulmonologists, and four rheumatologists–utilized two specific tests: the Cutaneous Sarcoidosis Activity and Morphology (CSAMI) and the Sarcoidosis Activity and Severity Index (SASI).

The results proved nothing more than what might have already been assumed–that both tests need to be used consistently and effectively across specialties, and that by doing so, doctors can preemptively measure disease activity and assess severity. Mainly because, as the abstract states, “a validated scoring system is essential to assess the effect of therapeutic interventions on a disease.” Treatment, people! More reliable treatment for the masses! Hallelujah! Duh!

Ultimately, the test results were so consistent between study specialists that researchers came to the conclusion that the tests were reliable enough to be used by not only dermatologists, but non-dermatologists as well.

So…what does this mean for you?

It means that by implementing a standardized diagnostic/prognostic testing process across the board to measure the varying effects and types of cutaneous sarcoidosis, patients can expect to receive reliable results. And by understanding disease characteristics (i.e. severity), doctors can help patients better prepare for the future and develop an adequate treatment plan.

These discoveries will be taken into account as early as at the initial stages of treatment development–the clinical trial stage, possibly giving the medical community a better idea of how certain treatments will affect a patient’s disease management and possibly even quality of life.

Read the study abstract here.

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