Combining medications often best strategy to battle rheumatoid arthritis

Whilst I definitely do not recommend any treatment by means of this site (please see your doctor before changing any medications), I did find this information regarding comibing medications extremely interesting and thought it was worth sharing. I have included part of the article here as it gets a bit complicated - you'll see what I mean!

Hope this information can help someone out there.

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=33633

"For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, combining one well-known, lower cost synthetic drug with one of six biologic medications often works best to reduce joint swelling or tenderness, according to a new report funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Researchers reviewed published evidence to compare the benefits and harms of three classes of medications: synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologic DMARDs, and corticosteroids. Synthetic DMARDs include hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide, methotrexate and sulfasalazine; biologic DMARDs include abatacept, adalimumab, anakinra, etanercept, infliximab and rituximab; and corticosteroids include drugs such as prednisone.

The report concluded that combining methotrexate, a synthetic DMARD, with one of the biologic DMARDs works better than using methotrexate or a biologic DMARD alone."

Researching the new type of NSAIDS

Some interesting research being done on the new type of NSAIDS prescribed to treat your arthritis. The study is going to be based in Scotland and is looking at how the new type of NSAIDS (Celecoxib) differ in long term affects from the old type of NSAIDS (Ibuprofen for example).

£26 million is being invested into the study.

Let me know your thoughts if you have changed from the old type of NSAIDS to the new.

For more info, link here: http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/26m+arthritis+drugs+trial/1192447

Check out other arthritis links for more research and news regarding arthritis treatments.

New Study Uncovers Prevalence, Burden of Pediatric Arthritis in U.S.

Are you under 18 and have arthritis? Well, take heart, you are not alone. Research has shown this week that there one in 250 children in the US have been diagnosed with arthritis or similar. It's nice to know there are others just like you, this means support and someone to talk to who will really understand how you are feeling AND it also means more research on treatments for dealing with arthritis in young people.

If you want to read more about the study, you will find it in the December issue of "Arthritis Care & Research."

Link here for more info: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071205/clw030.html?.v=101

Visit the "Health Directory", one of my 'favourite links' to read more information from around the world.

Tai Chi Aids Pain and Gives Arthritis Relief

Here is a natural alternative treatment for your arthritis - Tai Chi! Something new to try, proven and certainly couldn't hurt you anyway. Give this a go!

Source: http://www.thirdage.com/news/features/922494369-1.html

FOCUS ON MIND AND BODY Today, Tai Chi is practiced as a meditative exercise made up of a series of "forms," or choreographed motions, requiring slow, gentle movement of the arms, legs and torso. Tai Chi practitioners learn to center their attention on their breathing and body movements so that the exercise strengthens their overall mind/body awareness. In a sense, Tai Chi is similar to yoga in that it is also a form of moving meditation, with the goal of achieving mind/body stillness through motion and awareness of breath. In China and in Chinese neighborhoods all over the world, Tai Chi is practiced by young and old alike in city parks in the early morning hours.

According to an Arthritis Foundation spokesperson, "Tai Chi is the basis for one of the Arthritis Foundation's most popular exercise programs, known as the ROM (range of motion) dance." Performed to a soundtrack of peaceful music and a prose poem, the dance combines traditional arthritis exercises with Tai Chi movements.

U.S. company to resume testing arthritis drug

As all arthritis sufferers are aware, there is a great need for an arthritis drug that really works and continues working. Good news this week is that a US company has been given permission to resume studies on an experimental arthritis drug. The study was halted for a while as you notice in the below article, but it's good to see the necessary investigations were made, and the drug has been cleared of any involvement, so here's hoping further research will uncover a medication that will be of benefit to many.

Article Source: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6310538.html

Drug developer Targeted Genetics Corp. said Monday it will resume the study of an experimental arthritis drug that was halted in July after the unexpected death of a patient.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the Seattle-based company permission to continue the trial after reviewing information on all 127 patients, including a 36-year-old woman who died a few weeks after receiving the drug.

The woman's family and government scientists have questioned whether a genetically modified virus used when the drug is injected played a role in her death. However, government advisers for the National Institutes of Health said earlier this year that the woman probably died of an unrelated fungal infection.

The company's own investigation reached a similar conclusion earlier this month, noting that only trace amounts of the virus were found in the woman's body.

Fibrin linked to rheumatoid arthritis

Here is a very interesting article I found regarding the link between blood clotting protein and rheumatoid arthritis. Lets hope this leads to more effective medical treatment of this crippling disease.


Source: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/143267.html

"U.S. researchers say the discovery of a link between a blood clotting protein and rheumatoid arthritis could lead to new therapies for the disabling disease.

Jay Degan, a researcher in Developmental Biology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, said inflammatory joint disease appears to be driven by the engagement of inflammatory cells with fibrin matrices through a specific integrin receptor, aMB2.

The report, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggests that therapies designed to interrupt the localized interaction of inflammatory cells and fibrin may help arthritis patients.

"Our study establishes that fibrin is a powerful, although context-dependent, determinant of inflammatory joint disease," Degen, the study's lead author, said Friday in a release.

Arthritis causes major problems in the workplace: Study

Washington: A Canadian study has found that arthritis-related disability takes a major toll on a productivity in the workplace, as it forces workers to change their work hours, the type and nature of work or even lose their job.

The study, which tracked 490 people with osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis (IA) for more than four years, reports that, 63 percent of the participants remained employed, but work changes were common.45 percent reduced their work hours due to arthritis; 52 percent switched their type of work; 18 percent weren't able to seek and accept promotions and job transfers; and 41 percent weren't able to take on additional responsibilities."We know that arthritis can result in people having to leave their jobs. This research focuses our attention on the workplace itself and highlights how common a wide range of work transitions are in the lives of people with arthritis," Monique A.M.

Source: http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=19257