ArthritisDigest2013
Cytokine signature found in fibromyalgia points to immune dysfunction
Fibromyalgia is a complex and poorly understood chronic pain syndrome that affects about two million people in the UK. A team from the US set out to examine cytokine levels in women with fibromyalgia in an attempt to unravel the origins of the condition. Cytokines are tiny proteins that act as chemical messengers and affect immune responses, tissue repair and cell growth.
The scientists found that women with fibromyalgia had a marked reduction in cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, which supports the role of inflammation in fibromyalgia and could lead to better diagnostic tools for doctors treating fibromyalgia. Continue reading
Back pain treatment: one size does not fit all
More organised and targeted treatment of back pain by GPs led to a 50% reduction in work absence, in a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine. And it doesn’t increase healthcare costs.
A team from Keele University looked at data from 922 people with lower back pain from five GP surgeries in Cheshire. Participants were split into two groups; those receiving usual care were compared with others who had been screened into low, medium or high risk of persistent disability and then matched with appropriate treatment. Continue reading
Teenagers who have knee surgery may have increased osteoarthritis risk
Adolescents who undergo knee surgery are more likely to experience osteoarthritis in later life, says a small study from Sweden presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s Specialty Day in New Orleans.
The research focused on 32 people who had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction between the ages of 12–16 years. But 10–20 years after the surgery, experts found significant osteoarthritic changes had taken place in the reconstructed knee (65%) compared to the knee that was not involved (14%). Continue reading
Losing weight means better joint replacement outcomes, says new study
People who lose weight after a joint replacement do better in terms of function and activity level two years after the operation, says a study from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York. And although many overweight people set out to lose weight after joint replacement, the same number actually gain weight as lose
“Our findings represent the first report to present evidence that weight loss is associated with improved clinical outcomes, while weight gain is associated with inferior outcomes,” says Dr Geoffrey Westrich, senior investigator. Continue reading
Bilateral knee replacement in rheumatoid arthritis can be safe but careful screening is essential
Same-day knee replacement surgery of both knees is safe for some people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
People with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have conditions such as heart disease or vasculitis and may be on drugs that suppress the immune system. Surgery is therefore complicated for this group so many people with rheumatoid arthritis who need both knees replaced do so one at a time. Continue reading
