Psoriatic Arthritis News and Research

RSS

Like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints and connective tissue. The disease causes joint pain and swelling that can lead to crippling along with inflamed and irritated scaly red patches of skin throughout the body. It is a progressive and debilitating disease and because there are no treatments specifically approved for psoriatic arthritis, doctors often use therapies approved for RA, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). However, no DMARDs are currently approved for use in psoriatic arthritis. There are approximately 300,000 patients with psoriatic arthritis in the United States and the disease affects both men and women most commonly between the ages 30 and 50. Psoriatic arthritis patients are generally treated by rheumatologists and dermatologists.

Trial of new biologic agent to treat psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis affects about 11 percent of patients with psoriasis.

8 Apr 2009

Ultrasound saves money, improves rheumatologic care

A few years back, 76-year-old Joseph Buggie woke up to pain so throbbing, he couldn't muster the strength to roll over, let alone crawl out of bed.

31 Mar 2009

BioCis Pharma starts trial of novel topical drug for dermatology

BioCis Pharma Ltd., a privately-held drug development company with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, announced that it has begun a new Phase IIa clinical testing of ProtoCure emulsion cream, the company's novel topical drug for dermatology.

12 Mar 2009

Study on ustekinumab for treatment of psoriatic arthritis published

A group of patients suffering from potentially debilitating psoriatic arthritis showed significant and prolonged improvement after treatment with ustekinumab, according to data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

11 Feb 2009

New understanding of genetic basis of psoriasis

Two international teams of researchers have made significant gains in understanding the genetic basis of psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that can be debilitating in some patients.

27 Jan 2009

Pycnodysostosis sheds light on enzyme's role in bone metabolism

Pycnodysostosis, a condition from which the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec suffered, is a genetic disease characterized by short stature.

5 Nov 2008

First-ever international guidelines for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Rheumatologists, dermatologists, and patient advocates have come together to publish the first-ever international guidelines for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, a disease that mainly affects people who have psoriasis but also some people without it.

26 Oct 2008

FDA forces manufacturers of TNF-blockers to highlight risk of fungal infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade must strengthen the existing warnings, in the Warnings and Precaution sections of the drugs' prescribing information and Medication Guides, on the risk of developing opportunistic fungal infections. Some patients with invasive fungal infections have died.

5 Sep 2008

Could arthritis wonder drugs provide clues for all disease?

Drugs that have helped treat millions of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers may hold the key to many more medical conditions, including atherosclerosis - a leading cause of heart disease - says the researcher who jointly invented and developed them.

From The University of Manchester 17 Jul 2008

Arthritis drugs used in children to be investigated because of cancer link

Authorities in the United States are investigating certain types of drugs used to treat arthritis and other conditions.

5 Jun 2008

Researchers who helped millions with arthritis receive Janssen Award

Two British researchers who pioneered treatments which have helped millions of people with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases have been awarded the prestigious 2008 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research, announced today.

13 May 2008

Discovery of new genetic links to psoriasis

In the first comprehensive study of the genetic basis of psoriasis, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered seven new sites of common DNA variation that increase the risk of the troublesome skin condition.

4 Apr 2008

Severe psoriasis linked to serious medical conditions including cardiovascular disease, depression and cancer

It has long been known that psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly plaques that itch and bleed, can have a significant negative impact on a patient's overall quality of life.

25 Mar 2008

Watery pools in bone marrow key to psoriatic arthritic damage

Researchers have learned more about how a leading drug prevents certain types of arthritis from eating away at bone, according to a study published in the March edition of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

4 Mar 2008

Abbott receives approval for HUMIRA (Adalimumab) for polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abbott has announced that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market HUMIRA (adalimumab) as a treatment to reduce signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in patients four years of age and older.

26 Feb 2008

Enbrel shown to significantly reduced levels of C-reactive protein

Amgen and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth have announced findings from a retrospective analysis, which demonstrated that ENBREL reduced C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis following 12 weeks of treatment. Median reduction in CRP levels was 10 times greater in the ENBREL treated group compared to the placebo treated group.

5 Feb 2008

Severe psoriasis can cut short life

According to a new study having some forms of psoriasis can shorten a person's lifespan.

19 Dec 2007

Combining medications often best strategy to battle rheumatoid arthritis

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 by researchers at the RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center, which is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

19 Nov 2007

Smoking linked to enduring risk of psoriasis

According to new research smokers have a higher risk of developing the skin condition psoriasis.

29 Oct 2007

Researchers shed light on the link between chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other inflammatory rheumatic diseases are associated with a high rate of death from heart disease.

28 May 2007