The present invention provides methods, reagents and kits for diagnosing
and/or for the prognosis of non-autoimmune acute joint inflammation by
detecting cytokine biomarkers in a sample obtained from an individual
thought to be suffering from joint injury. The cytokine biomarkers used
with the methods and kits of the present invention are IL-6, MIP-1.beta.,
MCP1 and IFN.gamma..