Arthritis & Rheumatology News and Research

Latest Arthritis & Rheumatology News and Research

Novel way of tackling diseases related to the immune system

A new study has suggested a novel way of combating diseases related to the immune system, including cancer and autoimmune diseases such as type I diabetes and arthritis. The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, appears online in the journal Nature.

14 Nov 2006

Arthritis drugs not as risky as first thought

Researchers now say that two biotech drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Humira (Abbott Laboratories) and Remicade (Johnson & Johnson), may not raise the risk of cancer and infections as much as was initially feared.

8 Nov 2006

Regular exercise protects against age related macular degeneration

AMD is a condition which causes light sensitive cells at the back of the eye to stop working, resulting in severe vision loss; it affects the central vision, needed for driving and for many other activities.

1 Nov 2006

Acupuncture and Turmeric could be viable treatment options for arthritis sufferers

People who suffer from osteoarthritis (OA) as a rule find it has to varying degrees an impact on their mobility and quality of life.

31 Oct 2006

Acupuncture in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip

Osteoarthritis (OA) has a major impact on patients' mobility and quality of life but the anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat it are associated with a number of side effects.

30 Oct 2006

Turmeric for prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis

An ancient spice, long used in traditional Asian medicine, may hold promise for the prevention of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, according to a recently completed study at The University of Arizona College of Medicine.

30 Oct 2006

Doctors warned that commonly used painkillers linked to increased risk of heart attacks

Doctors in the UK are being warned that commonly used painkillers such as ibuprofen can increase the risk of heart attacks if taken over long periods.

25 Oct 2006

Anxiety disorders linked to thyroid disease, respiratory disease, arthritis and migraine headaches

Anxiety disorders appear to be independently associated with several physical conditions, including thyroid disease, respiratory disease, arthritis and migraine headaches, according to a report in the October 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. This co-occurrence of disorders may significantly increase the risk of disability and negatively affect quality of life.

23 Oct 2006

Physiotherapists and pharmacists can help reduce knee pain and reliance on painkillers

Older people with knee pain who receive their main care from physiotherapists and pharmacists are more likely to experience improvements in pain levels and knee function, and are less likely to need NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, eg asprin and ibuprofen), according to a BMJ study.

23 Oct 2006

Psoriasis increases the risk of a heart attack

American researchers are suggesting that adults who suffer from psoriasis are at an increased risk of a heart attack.

11 Oct 2006

Bayer forgot to tell risks of heart surgery drug

According to the German drug giant Bayer AG, the reason the company failed to inform U.S. regulators about a study on the risks of the heart-surgery drug Trasylol was a mistake.

2 Oct 2006

Report says FDA not up to scratch

According to a new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), despite the debacle following the drug Vioxx which was withdrawn from the market two years ago, few lessons have been learned and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. still lacks the power and resources to adequately monitor the safety of newly-approved drugs.

25 Sep 2006

Researchers create roadmap to integrin activation

Calling it an important technical advance in the study of the complex receptors and pathways of the body's cellular system, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have reconstructed the signaling pathways that impact activation of a receptor that is critical to the control of bleeding and to the thrombosis that occurs in heart attacks and strokes.

18 Sep 2006

Latest studies reveal more risks with Vioxx

Two major studies by experts in the U.S. and Australia have provided new evidence of the cardiovascular and kidney risks attached to both COX-2 inhibitors and NSAID painkillers.

18 Sep 2006

Are we getting enough vitamin D?

Scientists from the University of Ulster are to explore if we are getting enough vitamin D - vital for the formation of healthy bones and which may also help prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancers, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

13 Sep 2006

Nitric oxide in blood and side-effects of painkillers

Cardiff University researchers have increased the understanding of why some painkillers increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

12 Sep 2006

Drug infliximab may help ease ulcerative colitis

In good news for patients with stubborn cases of ulcerative colitis, a serious intestinal disorder, a new research review suggests that the drug infliximab can be a useful alternative if other treatments don't work.

12 Sep 2006

NIH launches "Knockout Mouse Project"

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today awarded a set of cooperative agreements, totaling up to $52 million over five years, to launch the Knockout Mouse Project.

7 Sep 2006

FDA asks U.S. Marshals to seize dietary supplements

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on September 5, 2006, U.S. Marshals seized quantities of Ellagimax capsules, Coral Max capsules, Coral Max without Iron capsules, and Advanced Arthritis Support capsules distributed by Advantage Nutraceuticals L.L.C. of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, valued at approximately $55,000.00.

6 Sep 2006

Rheumatoid arthritis drugs appear to work better when delivered into the central nervous system

Rheumatoid arthritis drugs work better, at least in arthritic rats, when delivered into the central nervous system, Gary Firestein and colleagues (University of California San Diego) now report in the international open-access medical journal PLoS Medicine.

4 Sep 2006