Latest rheumatism Stories

The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) welcomes the outcomes of yesterday's Council of the European Union (EPSCO Council). In its meeting on 7 December, ministers for health adopted Council Conclusions on chronic diseases, in which the Council calls on Member States and the European Commission to adopt concrete, coordinated measures to tackle chronic diseases in Europe. EULAR is pleased to note that the Council Conclusions reflect many of the recommendations made at the 19 October...

Heavy smokers and individuals with genetic risk factor for RA at greatest riskA new study determined that African Americans who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA risk is more pronounced among individuals positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, a genetic risk factor for RA. Findings from this study"”the largest to date examining the impact of smoking on RA risk in an African American population"”are available in the December issue of...

Delay in assessment by rheumatologist increases risk of joint destruction, decreases remission chancesPositive outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are closely linked to early diagnosis and treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). A study by researchers in the Netherlands found that patients who are assessed by rheumatologists soon after RA symptoms appear are more likely to experience less joint destruction and improved chances of DMARD-free disease remission. Details...

Multiple pain locations contribute to greater knee painA new study found that patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee who also have pain in other joints were more likely to experience greater knee pain. Specifically, pain in the lower back as well as foot pain and elbow pain on the same side as the affected knee were associated with more severe knee pain. Full details appear in the December issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the...

In a study published today in the journal Rheumatology, researchers found that arthritis patients significantly benefited when they received homeopathy alongside conventional treatment over a period of 6 monthsNew evidence that homeopathic consultations can reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis has been revealed by scientists from the University of Southampton.In a study published today in the journal Rheumatology, researchers found that arthritis patients significantly benefited when...

African Americans in the study age 45 or older were three times more likely than whites of the same age to have corns or flat feet. In people who were not obese, African Americans were twice as likely to have bunions and hammer toes than whites. Common foot disorders such as flat feet, corns and bunions are more prevalent among African Americans than in whites, a new study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers has found.African Americans in the study age 45 or older were...

Saturday, November 6, 2010 - Georgia World Congress Center, Room B-308 ROSEMONT, Ill., Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This is a one-time offering in Atlanta, held in conjunction with the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, the world's foremost gathering of rheumatology health professionals. A free public seminar for people with arthritis who live in the Atlanta area, and people who care about them, this is a unique opportunity to learn from...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuesday, October 12 is being recognized worldwide as a day to bring to light the pain involved with arthritis, the often debilitating condition that affects one in five Americans. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100901/FL58348LOGO ) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100901/FL58348LOGO ) According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States. Of the three...

Study shows biologic agents can be reserved for treatment-resistant patientsA study conducted at Copenhagen University Hospital showed that treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), glucocorticoids, biologic agents, or a combination of agents significantly reduced radiographic evidence of joint destruction, with a relative effect of 48%󈞴% as compared with placebo. A direct comparison between the combination of a biologic agent plus...

Further trials needed to determine clinical application of drug in SLEResults from a 12-month multi-center clinical trial did not show therapeutic benefit of abatacept over placebo in patients with non-life threatening systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Abatacept failed to prevent new disease flares in SLE patients tapered from corticosteroids in an analysis where mild, moderate and severe disease flares were evaluated together. Full details of the phase IIb clinical trial are published in...