Rheumatoid arthritis puts women at a higher risk of bone fractures, new research reports. The study examined over a thousand people with arthritis, and found that women under 50 were more likely to suffer a fracture than their arthritis-free counterparts, while a risk for men appeared only at later stages of life. Women under 50… [Continue Reading]
Genetic Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis Discovered
August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis has revealed that a network of genes active in white blood cells may underlie the disease. Researchers have found that a certain protein required for a specific type of immune cell is required to avoid the inflammation of the joints characteristic of the condition. Researchers from VIB (Flanders Institute… [Continue Reading]
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Reduce Heart Disease Risk in Arthritis Patients
June 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Patients with diseases characterized by inflammation, such as arthritis have a higher risk of heart disease. Although anti-inflammatory drugs can relieve painful symptoms, it wasn’t clear that they have an effect on cardiovascular health. New research shows that a subset of anti-inflammatories does reduce the risk of heart disease in patients. Individuals with systemic inflammatory… [Continue Reading]
Traditional Remedy of Frankincense May Help Arthritis Patients
June 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A species of frankincense used in some African medicine traditions is gaining new appreciation from scientists. Researchers examining the plant have found that it contains compounds that inhibit the inflammatory response that causes the pain of arthritis. The answer to treating painful arthritis could lie in an age old herbal remedy – frankincense, according to… [Continue Reading]
New Technology Developed to Understand Autoimmune Diseases
June 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis are characterized by an autoimmune response, when immune cells mistakenly target the body’s own cells for destruction. Discovering precisely which target immune cells recognize could allow scientists to design ways to block this process. A research group has designed a new technique to identify what proteins immune cells… [Continue Reading]
Yoga Helps Reduce Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
June 7, 2011 By 2 Comments
A new study has found that yoga can have beneficial effects for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The study examined patients completing a yoga program to those not exercising, and found that disease activity was significantly reduced in those keeping active. Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who practice yoga showed statistically significant improvements in disease activity,… [Continue Reading]
New Drug Effective in Controlling Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Results of a new clinical study of a drug for controlling rheumatoid arthritis suggest that the treatment is effective. The drug, called adalimumab, doubled the rate of patients having low or no symptoms after several months of treatment. Data presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress demonstrated that initial treatment with adalimumab (Humira, ADA)… [Continue Reading]
Dysfunction of Protein Linked to Arthritis
February 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
New research in mouse has found that the loss of function of a particular gene leads to inflammation in the joints. When the gene is impaired, the number of white blood cells increase in the joints, inflaming the area, and leading to the development of arthritis. A team of researchers at the University of Gothenburg,… [Continue Reading]
Research Grant Promotes Exercise for Joint Pain
January 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A large research grant recently awarded will promote community-based methods to help people with joint pain stay active. Maintaining movement in painful joints is important for management of chronic skeletal pain and arthritis, but researchers say that there aren’t enough community supports available. A researcher from the University of the West of England has been… [Continue Reading]
Top 10 Most Interesting Findings in Genetics and Health Research in 2010
January 12, 2011 By 1 Comment
2010 was a busy year for health and genetics researchers, with new advances in understanding metabolism, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, and arthritis. Work also emphasized the importance of personalized medicine, and new genetic markers that predict disease. Here is a list of the top ten health research news items from the last year. 23andMe has released… [Continue Reading]