ArthritisDigest2013
New class of anti-arthritis drugs could treat multiple inflammatory diseases
A new class of anti-arthritic drugs reduces both arthritic joint inflammation and periodontitis (gradual loss of bone and tissues that support the teeth) says a study in The American Journal of Pathology.
One of the issues with current drugs is that medication effective for one disorder may exacerbate the other – making it difficult to treat people with more than one inflammatory disease.
The new class of drugs (DTrp) are known as MC receptor agonists. Continue reading
Partial knee replacement is safer than total knee replacement but requires more revision
Partial knee replacement surgery is safer than total knee replacement according to a large UK study published in The Lancet.
Participants (from the National Joint Registry for England and Wales) comprised 25,334 people who had partial knee replacements and 75,996 who had total knee replacements. The data showed: Continue reading
Exercise increases overall health quality in people with knee osteoarthritis
Taking exercise can deliver a number of health benefits for people with knee osteoarthritis, says a new US study published in Arthritis Care & Research.
Experts looked at if following physical activity guidelines would lead to better results for people with osteoarthritis in terms of their overall health and quality of life. Continue reading
Sleep problems due to chronic pain? Self-administered hand Shiatsu may help, suggests small pilot study
Shiatsu – a traditional Japanese massage and stretching technique – may help people with chronic pain who have problems falling and staying asleep, says research published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine.
A small pilot study involved experts asking nine people with musculoskeletal pain questions about their sleep habits and problems and their levels of pain. Participants were taught to self-administer Shiatsu pressure techniques on their hands at bedtime. Continue reading
Rheumatoid arthritis: syndrome or single disease?
Rheumatoid arthritis could be treated more effectively if it was tackled as a syndrome instead of a single disease, says research published in Nature.
Scientists looked at the role of inflammasomes – protein complexes that form part of the immune system – in mice with rheumatoid arthritis. For the first ever time, they found that by blocking the inflammasomes from producing interleukin-1 (a protein with an important role in inflammatory reactions) they were able to successfully treat the condition. Continue reading
