Arthritis & Rheumatology News and Research

Latest Arthritis & Rheumatology News and Research

Arthritis drug Etanercept clears up symptoms of psoriasis

New research from the United States has found that a drug commonly used to treat arthritis significantly reduces the symptoms of psoriasis in children.

20 Jan 2008

Current state of the art in glycoscience

Sugars were once credited with magical healing powers but are now seen like salt as an evil necessary in small doses but the cause of numerous diseases such as diabetes if taken in excess.

18 Jan 2008

Gold nanoparticles shine brightly in tumors

Solid gold nanoparticles have long been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and more recently have shown promise in treating various types of cancer.

16 Jan 2008

Bisphosphonates - osteoporosis drugs triple risk of bone necrosis

A University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute study has found that a popular class of osteoporosis drugs nearly triples the risk of developing bone necrosis, a condition that can lead to disfigurement and incapacitating pain.

16 Jan 2008

How asthma and allergy symptoms are triggered

In demonstrating that a group of calcium ion channels play a crucial role in triggering inflammatory responses, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have not only solved a longstanding molecular mystery regarding the onset of asthma and allergy symptoms, but have also provided a fundamental discovery regarding the functioning of mast cells.

15 Jan 2008

Researchers find new way to block destructive rush of immune cells

Researchers have found a way to selectively block the ability of white blood cells to "crawl" toward the sites of injury and infection when such mobility drives disease, according to a study published today in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

15 Jan 2008

Researchers associate six new genetic variants with heart disease risk factor

Using new techniques for rapidly scanning the human genome, researchers have associated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, two fats in the blood, to 18 genetic variants, six of which represent new DNA regions never before associated with the traits.

15 Jan 2008

Study suggests link between genetic basis of height and arthritis

In studies involving more than 35,000 people and a survey across the entire human genome, an international team supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found evidence that common genetic variants recently linked to osteoarthritis may also play a minor role in human height.

14 Jan 2008

Etanercept drug reverses early symptoms of Alzheimer's in 10 minutes

Scientists in the U.S. say a drug which can reverse some of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease takes effect within 10 minutes.

14 Jan 2008

New study highlights importance soluble proteins, called cytokines, in Alzheimer's

An extraordinary new scientific study, which for the first time documents marked improvement in Alzheimer's disease within minutes of administration of a therapeutic molecule, has just been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation .

10 Jan 2008

Strength training of neck muscles relieves chronic pain

Neck pain has been steadily increasing over the past two decades and is now second to back pain, the most common musculoskeletal disorder.

7 Jan 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

Exercise improves symptoms of arthritis

Patients with arthritis, the country's leading cause of disability, tend to be less fit than their peers who don't have this condition.

7 Jan 2008

Scientists link depression to a biological mechanism that affects the olfactory glands

Can't smell the roses? Maybe you're depressed. Smell too much like a rose yourself? Maybe you've got the same problem.

4 Jan 2008

Magnetic therapy shown to significantly reduce swelling after tissue trauma

A recent study by University of Virginia researchers demonstrates that the use of an acute, localized static magnetic field of moderate strength can result in significant reduction of swelling when applied immediately after an inflammatory injury.

4 Jan 2008

The risk of osteoarthritis and index to ring finger length ratio

Index to ring finger length ratio (2D:4D) is a trait known for its sexual differences.

3 Jan 2008

Growing burden of arthritis in the U.S.

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States. Over the next 25 years as the Baby Boom generation continues to age, the toll of this disease will escalate.

3 Jan 2008

Protein's new role discovered in autoimmune disease

Investigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have identified the previously unknown role of a chemical 'messenger' leading to autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

3 Jan 2008

Highlights of pulmonary and critical care symposium

New perspectives on lung cancer screening, complications of sleep apnea, cystic fibrosis, and other key topics in pulmonary and critical care medicine are presented in the special January issue of The American Journal of Medical Sciences, published by the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, provider of leading healthcare content, context and consulting.

3 Jan 2008

Ensuring heart safety of non-heart drugs

Current regulatory policies should be strengthened to ensure acceptable cardiovascular safety of drugs developed primarily for non-cardiovascular medical problems, according to a recent presentation made by Dr. Jeffrey Borer, an authority in cardiovascular medicine and surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

2 Jan 2008