Current Arthritis News and Research » Arthritis

New Treatment for Adult-Onset Still’s Disease Studied

awesome — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:48:10 +0000

Still’s Disease is a form of arthritis that is characterized by high spiking fevers and transient salmon-colored rash. Still’s disease was first described in children, but it is now known to occur, much less commonly, in adults (in whom it is referred to as adult-onset Still’s disease). There is commonly swelling of the lymph glands, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and sore throat. Some patients develop inflammation of the lungs (pleuritis) or around the heart (pericarditis) with occasional fluid accumulation around the lungs (pleural effusion) or heart (pericardial effusion). Although the arthritis may initially be overlooked because of the impressive nature of the systemic symptoms, everyone with Still’s Disease eventually develops joint pain and swelling. This usually involves many joints (polyarticular arthritis). Any joint can be affected, although there are preferential patterns of joint involvement in Still’s Disease.

There is no known cause or cure for Still’s Disease but there is research into treatment options. One such study was reported in the January, 2011 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

This was a small cohort study which included only 14 patients with Still’s Disease. The study participants had failed all available therapies, which in some cases included three TNF inhibitors, abatacept, and rituximab. Eight of the patient’s had suffered irreversible joint damage as a result of their arthritis. Recurrent systemic symptoms were present in seven of the patients.

The 14 study participants were treated with the anti-interleukin (IL)-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab (Actermra). The dosages varied in the study, but the most common was the recommended dose for rheumatoid arthritis – 8mg/kg every 4 weeks.

The average disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) decreased from 5.61 at the beginning of the study to 3.21 after three months and decreased further, to 2.91 after six months.

Based on the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), a good response to treatment requires a DAS28 score or 3.2 or lower. 64% of the patients achieved this level. In addition, EULAR describes remission as a DAS28 score below 2.6, which was achieved by 57% of the patients.

Concurrent with the treatment with tocilizumab the patient’s average dosage of prednisone fell from 23.3 mg/day and the beginning of the study to 13 mg/day after three months and to 10.3 mg/day after six months.

A 60% improvement was seen in number of tender and swollen joints and in patient global health rating at six months and systemic symptoms resolved in 86% by three months.

The study was conducted by Xavier Puéchal, MD, PhD, of Le Mans General Hospital in Le Mans, France, and colleagues.

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Exercise for Arthritis Part 1

awesome — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:47:22 +0000

Research has shown that one of the best treatments for arthritis sufferers is exercise. Exercising strengthens the muscles which contributes to reduced stress on the joints. This then leads to improving the strength of the bones and health and flexibility of the connecting cartilage tissue.

For most arthritis patients the recommendation is to get a minimum of 30 minutes of activity a day. Of course you should talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise program to make sure there are no unforeseen risks.

Regardless of the type of exercise you want to undertake all sessions should start with a warm-up session. Mild stretching is recommended as the best way to warm up. This will help you prepare for more strenuous exercises by getting your body moving, and helping you to relax and ease tension from your body. Good range of motion exercises include yoga and tai chi. Range of motion exercises can be done in a pool, hot tub, warm bath or on dry land. Increase the length of time performing range of motion exercises until you are able to 15 minutes continuously. At that point additional aerobic and strengthening exercises can be added.

One of the most underrated exercises, but typically one of the best, is walking. Walking is an excellent exercise for improving the symptoms of arthritis. Adding weights as little as one pound and using your arms as you walk can involve the whole body. The best way to stay motivated is to make walking an interesting exercise. Walk through different parks, change the route that you take, walk through the local mall or shopping district. And one of the best ways to keep the motivation up is to walk with a friend. That way you can encourage each other.

Aquatic exercise is another excellent way to improve your flexibility and relieve your arthritis symptoms. Since water can provide both warmth for the joints and support for the body, it help provide strength training for arthritis patients without the stress on the joints that jogging brings. Additionally, aquatic exercise can get your entire body involved which gives the added benefit of cardiovascular exercise. Heated pools or spas provide the best environment for arthritis patients to do aquatic exercise. The warm water helps to relax the muscles which then makes it easier to exercise. Furthermore, warm water increases blood circulation by causing the blood vessels to dilate.

Many people do not have easy access to a pool, but fortunately spas are also a good choice for people with arthritis. Spas enable higher heat than a pool which, along with the spa’s water jets, can provide additional relief to aching joints. Many exercises can be performed in a spa, or the spa can be used after your workout to provide soothing heat to the joints, while helping increase the blood circulation.

Additional options for exercise include yoga. In general, yoga is known in the West as a group of pose oriented stretching exercises. Practitioners of yoga extol it as being beneficial for increasing flexibility and reducing mental and physical stress. Yoga classes are frequently offered through local community colleges or community organizations.

Originally posted 2009-06-15 12:00:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Arthritis Symptoms Improved Through Meditation

awesome — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:47:18 +0000

A study performed by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that 6 months of meditation helped rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients reduce their stress by as much as 33%.

The research was based on a training course called “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction” (MBSR). MBSR teaches patients to focus calmness, clarity, well-being and compassion. Earlier studies had shown that MBSR had a positive impact on the psychological symptoms of patients with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, MS and anxiety disorders.

In addition to the meditation, the patients continued to receive treatment from their regular physician including taking any medications they were already prescribed.

The participants of the study completed questionnaires prior to the start, as well as at 2 and 6 months into the study. The questionnaires were used to assess their depression and stress level. In addition, blood measurements were taken of the level of inflammation and their joints were evaluated for RA status. These indicators were compared to those of a group that did not receive the meditation course.

After 2 months there was equal improvement in terms of depression and emotional symptoms. But by 6 months there was a significant (35%) improvement in psychological distress in the meditation group.

The researchers emphasized that the meditation did not have any impact on the progression of the disease itself, but that the patients who practiced MBSR improved their sense of well-being. It did provide the patients the ability to better cope with the symptoms of RA.

Being able to reduce stress and depression may also contribute to increased function for arthritis patients. Other potential methods identified for reducing stress include biofeedback, hypnosis, yoga and tai chi.

Originally posted 2007-11-12 14:41:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Arthritis News on Your Smartphone

awesome — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:47:17 +0000

The number of people using smartphones is increasing at a furious pace. Along with that is the increase in the number of people accessing the web from their phone. Whether it’s a Blackberry, iPhone or one of the number of devices available today, it is the newest trend.

So I have installed a plugin that will format the Current Arthritis News and Research blog to be more readable on your mobile device. In fact, I am making this post from my Moto Q phone.

If you arrived at this site on your mobile device, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Originally posted 2009-01-20 11:36:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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New Research Planned into Arthritis Placebo Treatment

awesome — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:47:12 +0000

The University of Manchester is currently recruiting 90 people for an upcoming study into how placebos work. This group includes 30 with chronic, widespread pain, 30 with osteoarthritis and 30 healthy people as controls. The recruits will be from the musculoskeletal pain clinic at Hope Hospital in Salford and other pain clinics.

Most trials include some form of placebo in order to determine the true results of the tested treatment. Patients receiving a placebo frequently experience improvement in their symptoms due to the “power of suggestion” as opposed to any effect from an actual drug. It is this effect that researchers hope to bring light upon as potential treatments for chronic conditions, such as arthritis.

Neuro Rheumatology Professor Anthony Jones, of the Human Pain Research Group at Hope Hospital, is the research lead for a team that has been looking into the placebo effect for several years. His team has studied the body’s response to pain and how to measure anticipation of pain using EEG.

So far they have found that pain relief as a result of the placebo effect appears to be related to structures in the front of the brain that manage the anticipation of pain.

The planned study will look into the placebo effect on fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis patients to determine if they release natural pain killers, known as “endogenous pain control mechanisms”.

The research team believes that people with chronic widespread pain have abnormalities the way that they anticipate and focus on pain. It is suggested that this results in them feeling greater pain than other people.

“Placebo can affect patients’ response to pain therapy and also influence the results of clinical trials,” said Professor Jones.

“We have shown that responses to experimental placebo alter how the brain responds to pain and, also, that responses to experimental placebo persist in repeated testing in healthy volunteers. This allows us to measure how the brain’s pain control system is being activated under different conditions.

“We hope this study will help us understand how the brain deals with pain, and is also likely to lead to the development of new pain-killing therapies and better ways of testing then.”

Originally posted 2008-08-08 21:47:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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