Current Arthritis News and Research » Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis Primer

awesome — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:46:17 +0000

Arthritis is the name for a group of conditions that exhibit damage to joints such as knees, hips and fingers. According to the Arthritis Foundation there are over 100 different conditions covered by the term “arthritis”, the most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Depending of the form of arthritis the initial symptoms of are pain and stiffness which can occur after resting (morning) or at the end of the day. Additional symptoms can include rash, fever, swelling, muscle pain, eye pain and mouth ulcers.

Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease and arthrosis, is a condition caused by the protective cartilage that protects the ends of bones gradually breaks down. Research indicates that up to 60% of osteoarthritis cases are hereditary. It can also result from injury, obesity (additional weight on joints), inflammatory diseases, diabetes and hormonal disorders. The weight bearing joints – hips, knees and back – are most commonly affected. It is not uncommon for the joints of the feet and hands to also be affected. OA affects nearly 21 million people in the United States, accounting for 25% of visits to primary care physicians. It is estimated that 80% of the population will have some evidence of OA by age 65.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the synovium, or lining, of the joints. This means that the body’s immune system incorrectly identifies the synovium as a foreign material and attacks it. This results in swelling and inflammation of the joint which, in turn, causes tissue and cartilage damage around the joint.

Unfortunately, people of all ages can develop rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers have discovered many potential causes, including emotional or physical stress, bacterial infections, poor nutrition or genetics.

There are several tests that are used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. A blood test is used to check for the presence and level of inflammation in the body. Radiographic imaging (X-rays), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and bone scans will provide visual indications of the severity and progression of arthritis in the joints.

Following a positive diagnosis for RA, there are a number of treatment options available to slow the progression of the disease, improve the pain and maintain mobility. These treatments include several classes of drug therapies, whirlpool treatments, physical therapy and exercises to increase mobility and prevent complications.

There are also many natural treatments that can be utilized. Certain foods contain anti-inflammatory properties, such as pineapple and tart red cherries. Other foods contribute to repairing and rebuilding bone and cartilage, such as eggs, asparagus, onions and garlic. Many other foods are believed to have beneficial effects on rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. These include fish, brown rice, non-acidic fresh fruits, oatmeal, and leafy green vegetables.

Research indicates that food allergies may be linked to rheumatoid arthritis. People with rheumatoid arthritis were found to have higher antibody levels in their intestinal fluid to proteins from hen’s eggs, pork, cow’s milk, codfish and cereal than that of people without RA.

In addition, many people with back and neck pain report that they have experienced pain relief when they eliminated foods that they were allergic to.

Exercise is highly recommended for improving the symptoms of RA. Strengthening the muscles, which can contribute to a reduction of stress on the joints, leads to improved strength of the bones and improvement in the flexibility and health of the cartilage. Exercises, such as swimming or walking, are excellent ways to slow the progression of the disease.

Obesity is another common contributor to arthritis. Weight loss is one of the best ways to improve the symptoms of arthritis.

Arthritis is a serious condition. If you think that you may have arthritis, you should confer with your doctor for a diagnosis.

Originally posted 2009-07-09 17:30:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Rheumatoid Arthritis: Anti-TNF vs. DMARDS

awesome — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:46:15 +0000

Several studies have been conducted into to effectiveness of the newest class of drugs, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha blockers, in treating rheumatoid arthritis. But there have been no published studies comparing TNF-alpha blockers with the older class of drugs, known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS), such as Remicade (infliximab), Enbrel (etanercept), and Humira (adalimumab).

Recently a team of Spanish researchers, led by Dr Alberto Alonso-Ruiz has reviewed the findings of 13 clinical trials involving over 7,000 participants to compare anti-TNF to DMARDS. The team analyzed the data to determine the benefits and side effects of different doses of the drugs.

The team determined that all of the trials showed that, with the proper dose, anti-TNF were better for treating rheumatoid arthritis than drugs like methotrexate.

The research also pointed out, however, that those patients using anti-TNF drugs were more likely to complain of adverse side effects. In addition, patients that were using etanercept experienced the lowest withdrawal rates due to adverse events.

“Performing comparisons of new drugs is vital for measuring safety/efficacy relationships and monitoring adverse side-effects” said Dr. Alonzo-Ruiz.

Their research was published in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Originally posted 2008-05-02 15:36:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Increased Risk of Stroke Researchers in the United Kingdom recently investigated the incidence of...

Pfizer Settles Bextra, Celebrex Lawsuits

awesome — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:46:14 +0000

As a follow up to the last post, Pfizer announced last Friday that they have agreed to pay $894 million to settle 3 lawsuits that alleged Celebrex and Bextra harmed patients in the U.S. and defrauded consumers. The suits claimed that Bextra and Celebrex resulted in increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.

There were rumors as early and May 2008 of a settlement. At that time the Wall Street Journal reported that attorneys for Pfizer were in negotiations with representatives of the plaintiffs. Pfizer did not confirm the settlements until the press release issued last week.

Of the $894 settlement, $745 million will go toward settling injury claims, $89 million for Bextra and Celebrex class action consumer fraud suits, and $60 million for state attorney general settlements over marketing practices related to Bextra.

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked Pfizer to withdraw Bextra in 2005, less than 4 years after its approval by the FDA. This was due to mounting evidence of increased cardiovascular risks and reports of a potentially fatal skin reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Bextra and Celebrex are in the same class of drugs as Vioxx, which was previously withdrawn from the market in September 2004. Merck, the maker of Vioxx, has resolved most of the thousands of claims of injury by U.S. patients in a $4.85 billion settlement.

Celebrex remains as the only cox-2 inhibitor still available on the market today. According to Pfizer, state and federal courts have ruled that there is no reliable scientific evidence that Celebrex increases the risk of stroke and heart attacks. However, the FDA required all prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including Celebrex, to carry a “black box” warning about potential increased risk of heart attacks, stroke and gastrointestinal problems.

Originally posted 2008-10-22 11:04:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Increased Risk of Stroke

awesome — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:46:07 +0000

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently investigated the incidence of stroke among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. They analyzed data from the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database of over 7 million patients. These records include diagnosis and prescription medication information.

The team looked at histories from 33,191 RA patients compared to 99,570 patients without RA. They analyzed several risk factors including age, sex, smoking, diabetes, body mass index, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and cholesterol. They also considered the treatments and therapies used by these patients including corticosteroids and anti-rheumatic drugs.

The conclusion was that, when considering multiple variables, patients with RA have a significantly higher risk of stroke. In addition, traditional risk factors were associated with increased risk of stroke in both RA and non-RA patients. They also found that there was no significant effect on the risk by using anti-rheumatic drugs, although there was a slight increase in risk for those patients using methotrexate.

According to lead investigator Dr. Christopher Edwards, “Rheumatoid arthritis is known to be associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction. These unique data suggest that the disease is associated with an increased risk of stroke as well. Appropriate risk assessment and intervention for this important cause of morbidity and mortality in rheumatoid arthritis is clearly a critical issue.”

Originally posted 2007-11-26 21:55:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Another Genetic Link to Rheumatoid Arthritis

awesome — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:46:04 +0000

The genetic connection to many types of arthritis are being discovered at a rapid pace. Now comes findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine of another genetic link rheumatoid arthritis.

Two regions on Chromosome 9 have been previously identified as being linked to susceptibility and severity of RA. These are known as HLA-DRB1 and PTPN22. Swedish and U.S. researchers have now identified another region on Chromosome 9 which are associated with RA that contains the TRAF1 and C5 genes.

These researchers compared the genetic makeup in blood samples of 1600 people with RA to 2000 people without from Sweden and the U.S. They performed this study using a relatively new genome-wide association approach which enables them to examine 300,000 to 500,000 small discrepancies in genetic material.

The scientists stated that they were not clear on how TRAF1/C5 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis or whether only one or both genes were responsible. They found that both genes control inflammatory processes which make them both candidates for further research.

The TRAF1/C5 region is the third of three major susceptibility regions for rheumatoid arthritis that were identified by the researchers whole genome screen.

Originally posted 2007-11-05 18:47:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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