Rheumatology News and Research

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Rheumatology is a sub-specialty in internal medicine and pediatrics, devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Rheumatologists mainly deal with clinical problems involving joints, soft tissues and allied conditions of connective tissues.

COX-2 inhibitors prescribed to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity prior to the market withdrawals

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the most popular treatment for arthritis - despite their association with gastrointestinal (GI) complications, including bleeding ulcers and death.

27 Jul 2006

NICE backs use of Enbrel and Raptiva to treat severe psoriasis

NICE has today issued guidance for the use of the targeted biological therapies, Enbrel (etanercept) and Raptiva (efalizumab), to treat adult patients with severe plaque psoriasis.

26 Jul 2006

Bioengineered tissue implants regenerate damaged knee cartilage

Knee cartilage injuries can be effectively repaired by tissue engineering and osteoarthritis does not stop the regeneration process concludes research led by scientists at the University of Bristol.

5 Jul 2006

Maturation of tissue engineered cartilage implanted in injured and osteoarthritic human knees

Knee cartilage injuries can be effectively repaired by tissue engineering and osteoarthritis does not stop the regeneration process concludes research led by scientists at the University of Bristol.

4 Jul 2006

Rituximab shown to significantly inhibit structural damage of joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis

New data presented at the EULAR meeting (European League Against Rheumatism) show for the first time that MabThera (rituximab), a unique B cell targeted therapy, is able to significantly inhibit structural damage of joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

27 Jun 2006

Trust in physicians and elements of the medical interaction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus

Trust between a patient and doctor is a key factor in promoting improved quality of life, compliance with treatment, and better health outcomes.

31 May 2006

Health disparities in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), a group of autoimmune diseases involving chronic inflammation of the joints, can adversely affect health-related quality of life, often into adulthood.

31 May 2006

New rheumatoid arthritis drugs may put patients at risk of infections and cancer

Anti-TNF (tumor necrosis factor) therapies are a tried and tested type of medication used for treating rheumatoid arthritis and the drugs provide benefit to many of thousands of patients worldwide.

21 May 2006

Study shows strong association between treatment with TNF-blocking antibodies and development of serious infections

A new meta-analysis of many previous studies of TNF- (tumor necrosis factor) blocking antibodies for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has confirmed a previously discovered increased risk for serious infection and has found that cancer also is a potential risk associated with the drugs.

17 May 2006

Effective gene suppression using small interfering RNA in hard-to-transfect human T cells

A technical advance in laboratory techniques may provide biology researchers broader access to RNA interference, a process of blocking the activity of targeted genes. RNA interference has recently emerged as an important tool in studying how genes function in normal biological processes and in disease.

9 May 2006

The efficacy and safety of Rituximab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis

Drugs aimed at suppressing inflammation-provoking cytokines--specifically those linked to T-cells--have improved the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease. Still, the frequency of remission achieved by these biologic agents remains below 50 percent.

3 May 2006

Targeting the inflamed synovium: The quest for specificity

In the April 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, noted rheumatology specialists with Kings College London, Dr. Toby Garrood and Dr. Costantino Pitzalis offer an overview of recent breakthroughs and a preview of future directions in this critical quest for specificity.

4 Apr 2006

FDA approves Rituxan (Rituximab)

Rituxan is the first treatment for RA that selectively targets immune cells known as CD20-positive B-cells. Through this unique mechanism of action, Rituxan may affect multiple pathways by which B-cells are believed to contribute to the initiation and development of RA.

1 Mar 2006

Link between rheumatoid arthritis and cancer examined

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the immune system and is thought to be linked to an increased risk of cancers of the lymphatic system.

28 Feb 2006

Study associates meniscal damage with advanced cartilage loss in early osteoarthritis

Cartilage loss is a major component of osteoarthritis (OA), a joint disease that affects over 20 million Americans. In knee OA, cartilage loss is influenced by knee injury, as well as obesity and age. Every healthy knee is supported and protected by a pair of meniscus.

27 Feb 2006

Efficacy of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate may depend on level of osteoarthritis pain

The popular dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate proved no better than a placebo in relieving osteoarthritis knee pain in most participants of a major national trial.

23 Feb 2006

Glucosamine/Chondroitin combo helps those with moderate to severe joint pain

According to a new study by the National Institutes of Health, people with moderate to severe joint discomfort found that a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin resulted in significant pain and function improvement.

23 Feb 2006

Stealthyx Therapeutics and Cancer Research Technology announce co-development partnership for tumour-targeted therapy

Cancer Research Technology (CRT), the specialist oncology development and commercialisation company, and Stealthyx Therapeutics, the disease targeting drug company spin out of Queen Mary, University of London have entered into an agreement to co-develop Stealthyx’s proprietary drug delivery platform, Prothyx.

16 Feb 2006

Lupus responds to stem cell transplant therapy

Transplanting patients with blood stem cells that originate from their own bone marrow can induce the remission of life-threatening, treatment-resistant lupus, according to a study that took place at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

13 Feb 2006

Another use for statins - treating rheumatoid arthritis

According to Japanese researchers statins, drugs widely used to treat high cholesterol, have a potential role in inflammation and other cell processes, including immune response and rheumatoid arthritis.

31 Jan 2006