Arthritis News and Research

Latest Arthritis News and Research

Enbrel therapy allowed more rheumatoid arthritis patients to achieve clinical remission

New results from TEMPO (Trial of Etanercept and Methotrexate with Radiographic Patient Outcomes) demonstrated that Enbrel® (etanercept) therapy allowed significantly more rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to achieve clinical remission at two years compared to patients treated with methotrexate alone.

11 Jun 2004

America's first two WNV encephalitis cases of 2004 respond to treatment

GenoMed, Inc. has announced that the country's second case of West Nile virus encephalitis has responded promptly to its treatment approach. So far, GenoMed's treatment is showing a 100% response rate among 13 immunocompetent patients. The sooner the treatment is instituted, the more rapid and more complete the response.

10 Jun 2004

Remicade shows improvement in both the arthritis and psoriasis associated with psoriatic arthritis

In this trial, REMICADE provided a 70 percent improvement (as measured by ACR 70) in symptoms of arthritis in nearly one-third of patients, compared with only 2 percent of patients on placebo at 24 weeks.

10 Jun 2004

Non-aspirin pain drugs may help men with recurrent prostate cancer

Early results from a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine study may determine if drugs called Cox-2 inhibitors, a newer type of non-aspirin pain medicine now widely prescribed for arthritis symptoms, may benefit men with recurrent prostate cancer.

10 Jun 2004

High vitamin C intake may protect against rheumatoid arthritis

A high vitamin C intake may protect against the development of painful widespread rheumatoid arthritis indicates research published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

10 Jun 2004

Better co-ordination needed to manage chronic diseases

A working party report released today calls for the co-ordinated management of chronic disease across primary and secondary care in the UK.

7 Jun 2004

Experimental human monoclonal antibody shows striking benefit in patients with advanced melanoma

Early testing of an experimental human monoclonal antibody showed a striking benefit in patients with advanced melanoma, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, who presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

7 Jun 2004

Alfalfa sprouts recalled due to possible health risk

The Food and Drug Administration has been alerted that Sprouters Northwest, Inc. of Kent Washington is recalling 2, 3, and 5 lbs. institutional trays of its raw alfalfa sprouts sent to various food institutions because they may be linked to a recent increase in Salmonellosis in Oregon and Washington State.

5 Jun 2004

Vitamin C can increase the severity of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis

High doses of vitamin C increase the severity of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis in an animal model of the disease, according to a new study by Duke University Medical Center researchers.

5 Jun 2004

Lack of funding and staff in the UK hinders patient care

Doctors across the UK are leading innovative approaches to patient care but are blocked from developing their projects further by lack of funding and staff according to a new publication launched today (3 June) by the BMA.

3 Jun 2004

Patients prescribed medication for long term illness rapidly stop taking their medicines

Many patients prescribed a medicine for a long term condition, such as asthma or heart disease, rapidly stop taking their medicines as prescribed, reveals research in Quality and Safety in Health Care.

1 Jun 2004

Women who regularly take aspirin at lower risk of breast cancer

Women who regularly take aspirin seem to be at lower risk of the most common type of breast cancer than those who do not take aspirin, report researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and College of Physicians & Surgeons, Weill Cornell Medical College , and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

31 May 2004

3 or 4 glasses of wine a week can kill cancer cells

It’s well known that drinking red wine in moderation can have some health benefits, mainly attributed to a compound called resveratrol. Now, scientists at the University of Virginia Health System have discovered how.

25 May 2004

Increases in co-payments may reduce the use of medications

Significant increases in co-payments may reduce the use of medications and raise concern about adverse health consequences, according to a study published in the May 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

22 May 2004

Using gene therapy to fight rheumatoid arthritis

Guided by a similar principle, arthritis researchers at the University of Florida and Harvard University hope to use gene therapy to help joint cells pump out a harmless protein that parks in receptor sites, leaving a notorious inflammatory agent “circling the lot” and unable to cause pain, swelling and possible joint damage.

21 May 2004

New treatment for dry eye syndrome (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)

Researchers in the department of ophthalmology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson played an important role in the development of Restasis, the first alternative to artificial tears for the treatment of dry eye syndrome.

21 May 2004

New book highlights pros and cons of medical use of cannabis

A new book which brings together the relevant science regarding the beneficial effects of cannabis for identified medical conditions and explains many harmful side effects has been launched at Australia's Southern Cross University today.

19 May 2004

Study comparing the efficacy of REMICADE® to Azathioprine alone and in combination With REMICADE®

Centocor, Inc., and Schering-Plough Corporation announced today the initiation of the SONIC (Study of Immunomodulator Naive patients in Crohn's Disease) trial that will evaluate the efficacy of REMICADE® (infliximab) versus azathioprine, a conventional immunosuppressive agent, alone and versus the combination of both drugs for the treatment of patients with Crohn's disease.

18 May 2004

First filing for zoledronic acid in metabolic bone disease

One 15-minute infusion of the intravenous bisphosphonate zolendronic acid more rapidly reduced the biochemical markers of bone turnover in patients with Paget's disease than was seen in a head-to-head comparison with the oral treatment risedronate (95% vs. 75% response rate).

17 May 2004

Facts about prevalence of arthritis in the U.S.A

Arthritis is the leading cause of physical disability in the United States. Arthritis comprises over 100 different disease and conditions. The most common are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout.

15 May 2004