Arthritis News and Research

Latest Arthritis News and Research

Specific immune deficiency pinpointed as likely cause of ulcerative colitis

In a series of mouse experiments, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have pinpointed a specific immune deficiency as the likely fundamental cause of ulcerative colitis, a chronic, sometimes severe inflammatory disease of the colon or large intestine that afflicts half a million Americans.

4 Oct 2007

Individually tailored herbal concoctions possibly harmful

Scientists in Britain are warning that there is no evidence to suggest herbal medicines "tailored" to the individual do actually work; they also say such concoctions may even be harmful.

4 Oct 2007

Radiofrequency ablation for chronic arthritis-related back pain

Radiofrequency ablation, where heat energy destroys or stuns the nerves of a painful joint, is a developing therapy for chronic arthritis-related back pain.

4 Oct 2007

New knee-surgery device approved by FDA

A new knee-surgery device investigated by University of Missouri-Columbia researchers that will help to repair meniscus tears, which were previously defined as irreparable, has been approved by the FDA for use in humans.

3 Oct 2007

Study shows beneficial effect of walking on the reduction in risk of bone marrow lesions in the knee

The world's most common joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of disability among adults over the age of 50.

29 Sep 2007

Painful condition affecting kidney failure patients increases risk of death

A painful and debilitating condition that affects patients with kidney failure may be more common than previously believed and appears to be strongly associated with prior exposure to certain contrast agents used in imaging studies.

29 Sep 2007

Occupational exposures in farming and industry may be linked to death from autoimmune disease

A new study examined the possible associations between occupation and the risk of dying from systemic autoimmune diseases and found that occupational exposures in farming and industry may be linked to higher death rates from these diseases.

29 Sep 2007

Potential new therapy for uveitis

An inflammatory eye condition that is one of the world's leading causes of blindness could be treated much more effectively and easily thanks to a new discovery here.

29 Sep 2007

Meditation for rheumatoid arthritis

A revered contemplative practice for centuries, meditation has recently inspired research into its therapeutic value for everything from anxiety disorders to heart attack prevention.

29 Sep 2007

Higher death rates in kidney patients with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a newly identified debilitating and painful condition that affects patients with kidney failure and is characterized by a thickening and hardening of the skin.

29 Sep 2007

In vivo imaging of hydrogen peroxide with chemiluminescent nanoparticles

Most people think of hydrogen peroxide as a topical germ killer, but the medicine cabinet staple is gaining steam in the medical community as an early indicator of disease in the body.

27 Sep 2007

Caffeine and acetaminophen don't mix well

Consuming large amounts of caffeine while taking acetaminophen, one of the most widely used painkillers in the United States, could potentially cause liver damage, according to a preliminary laboratory study reported in the Oct. 15 print issue of ACS' Chemical Research in Toxicology, a monthly journal.

27 Sep 2007

Transposons could make for safer gene delivery system

To move a gene from point A to point B, scientists and gene therapists have two proven options: a virus, which can effectively ferry genes of interest into cells, and a plasmid, an engineered loop of DNA that can do the same thing, albeit usually only on a short-term basis.

27 Sep 2007

Coping with urinary incontinence

For older adults, increased urinary frequency is fairly common.

26 Sep 2007

Relief for arthritic knees

If you're among the estimated 10 million Americans who have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee, take heart in knowing that several nonsurgical options, pharmacologic and otherwise, are available for easing the pain of an arthritic knee, according to Cleveland Clinic's Arthritis Advisor.

25 Sep 2007

Do static magnets help reduce pain?

Static magnets are widely marketed to the public with claims of effectiveness for relieving pain.

25 Sep 2007

Dizziness in aging

Dizziness is the distortion of the perception of space; vertigo is a special type of dizziness, which induces a sensation of spinning around.

20 Sep 2007

Merck to face New York State and New York City in joint lawsuit

The drug company Merck is facing joint action from New York State and New York City over the millions which were spent on health programs related to the drug Vioxx.

20 Sep 2007

Rheumatoid arthritis genes

A paper published this week in the open access journal PLoS Medicine provides strong evidence that one specific part of the genome is associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

18 Sep 2007

LL37 peptide provides a new potential target for autoimmune disease

A human peptide that acts as a natural antibiotic against invading microbes can also bind to the body's own DNA and trigger an immune response in the absence of an infection, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports in an early online publication in Nature.

17 Sep 2007