Abstract
There is an acute need for reliable soluble biomarkers that can facilitate earlier diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA), inform the prognosis and monitor and predict the responses of patients to therapeutic interventions. The number of biomarkers that have been validated and qualified is relatively small. This article summarises the current state of play in the field of OA soluble biomarkers. It discusses the barriers that prevent biomarkers from achieving their full potential and provides some perspectives for basic researchers and clinicians. © Touch Medical Media 2012.