Juvenile Arthritis
Human cartilage grown in lab conditions for the first time
Scientists have successfully grown fully functional human cartilage from human stem cells derived from fat tissue, says research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Previous work has seen researchers make cartilage using young animal cells, but until now nobody has been able to reproduce the results using adult human stem cells from bone marrow or fat (the most practical stem cell source).
Now a team from Columbia Engineering in the US has used a different tissue-engineering approach and successfully grown cartilage with high lubricative properties and compressive strength. Continue reading
Genetic component to chronic pain, says recent research
An investigation into the causes of chronic pain suggests there are genetic similarities in people who have similar intensities of pain, a finding that could lead to new treatments and future drug development.
Experts asked 2,721 people with chronic pain (that meant they had been prescribed opioid pain medication) to rate the intensity of their pain from 0 to 10: 9% had low pain perception (scored 1–3); 46% had moderate pain perception (scored 4–6); 45% had high pain perception (scored 7–10). Interesting genetic findings were: Continue reading
More psychological and emotional support needed for people with inflammatory arthritis
People with inflammatory arthritis want more help coping with its social and emotional implications, says research due to be presented at Rheumatology 2014.
A UK research team surveyed 1,200 people about the support currently available and their preferences for the type of services they would like to see in the future.
The results imply there is a gap between the support provided and the support needed. Almost every patient wanted support (97%) and would use psychological support services (96%). But less than a quarter (23%) had been asked about social and emotional issues by a rheumatology professional. Continue reading
Vitamin D has important role in promoting healthy immune system
Older people who are deficient in vitamin D tend to have compromised immune function, says research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
While the association between vitamin D and bone health is well known, until now little research has looked at its impact on the immune system.
So scientists looked at 957 Irish adults who were older than 60 years and measured their vitamin D levels and inflammation markers (linked to rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease). Continue reading
Acupuncture Awareness Week: 3rd – 7th March 2014
Today heralds the first day of Acupuncture Awareness Week and the chance to get better informed about the ancient practice of traditional acupuncture. With 2.3 million acupuncture treatments carried out each year, acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary therapies practised in the UK today. But many people only discover acupuncture as a last resort despite its widely recognised health benefits. Continue reading
