Rheumatism News and Research

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Rheumatism is a group of disorders marked by inflammation or pain in the connective tissue structures of the body. These structures include bone, cartilage, and fat.

Biological medicine helps more people with rheumatoid arthritis

Patients who have recently developed rheumatoid arthritis respond better to treatment with biological medicine in combination with conventional pharmacological medicine. This according to results of the Swefot national clinical study, which is to be presented at an international rheumatology congress in Paris by scientists from Swedish Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, who conducted the study in association with another 15 rheumatology units in Sweden.

15 Jun 2008

Lupus more severe in patients with ancestry from southern Europe

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a higher percentage of ancestry from southern Europe have more severe disease manifestations, according to new research presented today at EULAR 2008, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Paris, France.

11 Jun 2008

Meniscal damage and joint malalignment predictors of cartilage loss

Marked by cartilage and bone degradation, progressive knee osteoarthritis (OA) is believed to result in part from a combination of several local mechanical factors. Lack of joint stability, poor joint alignment and injuries to the disks of meniscal tissue that cushion the knee all affect load distribution and the toll to the vulnerable OA knee.

2 Jun 2008

Study affirms effectiveness of medication for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that strikes children between the ages of newborn to 16 years. All children with JRA have joint pain, stiffness, and swelling and some also have fever and skin rashes.

9 May 2008

Outcomes of obese and nonobese patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty

Along with age and injuries, obesity is a leading risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA), a painful and disabling joint disease. While excessive weight can aggravate the toll on almost any joint, obesity has been associated with a higher prevalence of hip OA and an increase in total hip arthroplasty (THA).

8 May 2008

New understanding of systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma, is characterized by the formation of fibrosis, or scar tissue, on internal organs as well as the skin.

15 Apr 2008

Study details cost-effectiveness of rheumatoid arthritis treatments for Medicare recipients

For elderly and disabled rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers, the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) brought the promise of better disease management with "biologic" drugs.

15 Apr 2008

Pain in fibromyalgia is linked to changes in brain molecule

Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System have found a key linkage between pain and a specific brain molecule, a discovery that lends new insight into fibromyalgia, an often-baffling chronic pain condition.

10 Mar 2008

Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis

In an article recommended by Annelies Boonen of Faculty of 1000 Medicine, researchers look at the way rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed by analysing the administrative databases used by physicians in Quebec.

4 Mar 2008

Effect of tumor necrosis factor a inhibitors on heart failure risk in rheumatoid arthritis

A chronic autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by persistent inflammation of the synovial membrane and progressive joint destruction.

28 Feb 2008

Survey of rheumatic diseases in China

We like to complain about our aches and pains, but rheumatism is not only the preserve of western society.

5 Feb 2008

People whose index finger is shorter than their ring finger are at higher risk of osteoarthritis

A study of more than 2,000 people, published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, suggests that people whose index finger is shorter than their ring finger are up to twice as likely to suffer from the condition, which is the most common form of arthritis.

7 Jan 2008