Arthritis & Rheumatology News and Research

Latest Arthritis & Rheumatology News and Research

Scientists discover role of ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein in DNA repair

Scientists from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and Integrative Bioinformatics Inc. have made an important discovery about the role of an enzyme called ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) in the body's ability to repair damaged DNA.

28 Jun 2007

Embryonic stem cell in rodents could lead to treatment for Parkinson's

Scientists in Britain have discovered a new type of embryonic stem cell in mice and rats that could accelerate research into degenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson's.

27 Jun 2007

Role of environmental factors in the development of Parkinson's disease

Scientists at the Buck Institute for Age Research have shown that combining two environmental toxic substances accelerated age-related degeneration in neurons associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in mice.

27 Jun 2007

Greater understanding of fibromyalgia as a true medical condition

Fibromyalgia, a chronic, widespread pain in muscles and soft tissues accompanied by fatigue, is a fairly common condition that does not manifest any structural damage in an organ.

26 Jun 2007

Toronto at forefront of stem cell technology

A $20-million deal announced to license Canadian stem cell technology in the U.S. underscores the Toronto area's global leadership in stem cell research.

23 Jun 2007

Why NSAIDs damage the tissue that lines the gastrointestinal tract

New versions of drugs like buffered aspirin and Vioxx could produce fewer harmful side effects thanks to research being done at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

23 Jun 2007

Genzyme files for FDA approval of single-treatment Synvisc-One

Genzyme Corp. has announced that it has filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of Synvisc-One, the single treatment of Synvisc (hylan G-F 20) that provides up to six months of pain relief from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

23 Jun 2007

Latest food scare... sesame seeds with Salmonella

In the latest food scare to hit North America the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain sesame seeds because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

21 Jun 2007

Rheumatoid factor is a risk factor for heart disease in men

Scientists have found that a product of white blood cells linked to rheumatoid arthritis could cause heart disease in men.

20 Jun 2007

Men fall short when it comes to managing their personal health

From skipping important health screenings to avoiding a visit to the doctor altogether, new results from a survey released by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) indicate men continue to fall short when it comes to managing their personal health.

20 Jun 2007

Foie gras can speed amyloid development

University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine professor and researcher Alan Solomon, M.D., director of the Human Immunology and Cancer/Alzheimer's Disease and Amyloid-Related Disorders Research Program, led a team that discovered a link between foie gras prepared from goose or duck liver and the type of amyloid found in rheumatoid arthritis or tuberculosis.

19 Jun 2007

Environmental and genetic risk factors in the development of rheumatoid arthritis

Two new studies by a team in Sweden have identified smoking, a low formal level of education and certain metabolic indicators as important risk factors in the development of RA.

19 Jun 2007

Remicade helps those with ankylosing spondylitis

Data presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual European Congress of Rheumatology showed that patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who received REMICADE, (infliximab) over two years experienced significant improvement in spinal mobility.

19 Jun 2007

Breast feeding for thirteen months or more reduces mother's risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis

In the study, the longer the breast feeding period, the lower the mother's risk of developing RA in later life.

19 Jun 2007

Alcohol may protect against rheumatoid arthritis

New data presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain, suggests that alcohol may protect against rheumatoid arthritis, with three units a week exhibiting protective effects and ten units a week being more protective still.

19 Jun 2007

Results of Tocilizumab study

Nearly half (43.9%) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving tocilizumab 8mg/kg, in addition to ongoing methotrexate therapy experienced a 50% (ACR50) improvement in symptoms at 24 weeks and more than one fifth achieved a 70% symptom improvement, according to results of a study presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain.

19 Jun 2007

Bone erosion reduced by denosumab

Treatment with denosumab 60 mg and 180 mg (with background methotrexate) reduces the progression of bone erosion according to results of a 227 patient Phase II trial presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain.

19 Jun 2007

Summertime is tick time and Lyme disease is on the rise

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States says cases of the tick borne illness Lyme disease are on the rise across the country.

18 Jun 2007

Study on B-cell depletion therapy

36% of patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) remain well after undergoing B-cell depletion therapy (BCDT) without needing further standard immunosuppressive agents, according to a study presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain.

17 Jun 2007

Early treatment with Infliximab and Methotrex shows benefit for rheumatoid arthritis

Early treatment with a combination of methotrexate and infliximab may be effective as remission induction therapy and alter the course of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to data presented at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain

17 Jun 2007