Arthritis News and Research

Latest Arthritis News and Research

Hillandale Farms of Iowa voluntarily recalls shell eggs

Hillandale Farms of Iowa is voluntarily recalling shell eggs because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

21 Aug 2010

FDA issues update to nationwide Salmonella infected egg recall

Through tracebacks conducted as part of its ongoing investigation into the increase of Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses nationwide, FDA and the State of Minnesota identified Hillandale Farms in Iowa as a second potential source of contaminated shell eggs.

21 Aug 2010

Jazz Pharmaceuticals disappointed with FDA Advisory Committee recommendation for JZP-6 in fibromyalgia

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the Joint Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the Arthritis Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, voted 20-2 that the benefit/risk balance did not support the approval of JZP-6 for the treatment of with the currently proposed Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy (REMS).

21 Aug 2010

'Rotten eggs' gas inside knee joint protects against inflammation

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gas more commonly associated with the smell of 'rotten eggs' and blocked drains. However, it has now been shown to be present naturally in our bodies and reside in knee joint synovial fluid, the protective fluid found in the cavities of joints that reduces friction between the cartilage of joints during movement. Synovial fluid H2S may play a role in reducing inflammation in joints.

21 Aug 2010

Protalex initiates dosing in multicenter PRTX-100 Phase 1b clinical study in RA

Protalex, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing a class of biopharmaceutical drugs for treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the dosing of the first patient in a multicenter Phase 1b clinical study of PRTX-100 in adult patients with active Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The study is being conducted in South Africa.

20 Aug 2010

FDA releases statement on urgent nationwide egg recall

Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners, the FDA reviewed epidemiologic and environmental investigation documents and identified 3 best-case clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses. Tracebacks revealed Wright County Egg in Iowa as the common shell egg supplier in these clusters.

20 Aug 2010

Immunosuppressive therapy benefits necrotizing myopathy patients with novel autoantibody specificity

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have identified a subgroup of patients with necrotizing myopathy who have a novel autoantibody specificity that makes them potential candidates for immunosuppressive therapy. The complete study is published in the September issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.

20 Aug 2010

Study finds black women with SLE develop cardiovascular disease at early age

A recent study by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found significant racial disparities in the age of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients at the time of hospital admission for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and CVD-related death. Black women were youngest to both be admitted with CVD and to have an in-hospital death due to CVD.

20 Aug 2010

Research marks new direction to treat Pneumocystis, inflammatory diseases

A drug to treat inflammation plays a surprising role reducing the level of infection caused by an opportunistic bug that is deadly for AIDS and cancer patients and others with weakened immune systems.

20 Aug 2010

Playing percussion leads to unusual injury: Report

You've heard of tennis elbow and runner's knee, but how about "percussionist's wrist". A case of overuse injury of the wrist occurring in a professional percussionist is presented in a report in the August issue of JCR: Journal of Clinical Rheumatology.

19 Aug 2010

Treatment with DMARDs reduces rheumatoid arthritis disability: Study

For people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the level of disease activity measured using the standard DAS 28 score is the factor most strongly affecting the level of RA-related disability, according to a study in Journal of Clinical Rheumatology.

19 Aug 2010

Cluster-coated implant strengthens attachment of joint-replacement implant with bone

Researchers have developed an improved coating technique that could strengthen the connection between titanium joint-replacement implants and a patients' own bone. The stronger connection created by manipulating signals the body's own cells use to encourage growth could allow the implants to last longer.

19 Aug 2010

Biogen Idec, Knopp Neurosciences enter license agreement for KNS-760704 ALS drug candidate

Biogen Idec and Knopp Neurosciences today announced they have entered into an exclusive, worldwide license agreement under which Biogen Idec will develop and commercialize KNS-760704 (dexpramipexole) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and potentially other indications.

18 Aug 2010

XOMA sells royalty interest in CIMZIA

XOMA Ltd., a leader in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies, announced today that it has sold its royalty interest in CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) marketed by UCB S.A. for $4 million to an undisclosed buyer. The manufacture of CIMZIA is covered by a license to XOMA's Bacterial Cell Expression technology.

18 Aug 2010

$Study finds link between osteoporosis, fracture$

Study finds link between osteoporosis, fracture

An international study of more than 60,000 women has drawn new light on the relationship between osteoporosis and fractures.Scientists call for more to be done to identify and treat patients at the highest risk of fractures.Osteoporosis is more common in women who have fractured bones when they were younger and they experience a similar loss in health-related quality of life as those with arthritis, lung disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

18 Aug 2010

SAGE to launch European Edition of 'Foot & Ankle Specialist'

SAGE is to launch Foot & Ankle Specialist - European Edition from February 2011. The journal will be an international edition of Foot & Ankle Specialist (FAS), a bimonthly controlled circulation journal launched in 2008 publishing peer-reviewed clinical information for foot and ankle caregivers.

18 Aug 2010

Acupuncture not superior to sham acupuncture in knee osteoarthritis

17 Aug 2010

Merck's SIMPONI anti-TNF therapy now reimbursed in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Alberta

Merck is pleased to announce that New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Alberta are the first provinces in Canada to reimburse SIMPONI(golimumab) for the treatment of three different rheumatic conditions. SIMPONI, a subcutaneous anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, is now reimbursed by the drug formularies of these three provinces for people living with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, moderately to severely active psoriatic arthritis and active ankylosing spondylitis.

17 Aug 2010

Study finds sham acupuncture superior to traditional Chinese acupuncture in osteoarthritis treatment

Researchers from MD Anderson Cancer Center determined patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee who are treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) do not experience any more benefit than those receiving sham acupuncture (placebo). The team did find that the communication style of the acupuncturist could have a significant effect on pain reduction and satisfaction in patients. Full findings are now online and will publish in the September print issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.

17 Aug 2010

Discovery can lead to new class of drugs for chronic pain treatment

Researchers have made a discovery that could lead to a brand new class of drugs to treat chronic pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and back pain without numbing the whole body.

17 Aug 2010