Autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy cells and tissues, often have a preclinical stage before diagnosis that's characterized by mild symptoms or certain antibodies in the blood.

Knowing who may progress along the disease pathway is critical for early diagnosis and intervention, improved treatment and better disease management, according to a team that has developed a new method to predict the progression of autoimmune disease among those with preclinical symptoms. The team used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze data from electronic health records and large genetic studies of people with autoimmune disease to come up with a risk prediction score. When compared to existing models, this methodology was between 25% and 1,000% more accurate in determining whose symptoms would move to advanced disease.