de la Calle-Fabregat C, Niemantsverdriet E, Cañete JD, et al. - Through DNA methylation profiling, UA (undifferentiated arthritis)-to-RA (rheumatoid arthritis) progression can be well-predicted, and therefore, targeted treatments can be anticipated and clinical management can be improved.

• In a UA patient cohort with a significant proportion of the patients exhibiting progression to RA, DNA methylation profiling was conducted.

• UA patients showed differential DNA methylation vs healthy controls.

• A DNA methylation signature characteristic of those UA cases that differentiated to RA was revealed.

• Evolution of UA to RA can be anticipated by employing the methylome of peripheral mononuclear cells, and this methylome is related to a number of inflammatory pathways and transcription factors.

• Ultimately, a machine learning strategy was created for DNA methylation-based classification that forecasts the differentiation of UA toward RA.