StemCell Therapy

COVID-19 remains a mystery in many ways, but as it continues to rampage through the worlds population, some things are becoming more clear. One of them is that cytokine storms a deranged immune response to the virus, in which the body literally attacks its own cells instead of the invading coronavirus appear to be one reason some patients end up extremely ill.

A drug developed in St. Louis aims to combat those cytokine storms. Called ATI-450, it was originally developed by Confluence Discovery Technologies in 2013 with the idea of helping people suffering from autoimmune diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis.

But as scientists began to understand the way COVID-19 affects the body, the company realized it could potentially help with the new coronavirus as well.

Were actually in a Phase 2 rheumatoid arthritis study, explained Joe Monahan, Confluence Discovery Technologies executive vice president of research and development, on St. Louis on the Air. That started earlier in the year. But when we saw what was happening with COVID back in January or February, and we started to think about the possibility of both COVID being driven by the cytokine storm in the lung, and [rheumatoid arthritis] being driven by a similar storm of cytokines regulated in the joint, we thought maybe we could do some quick studies in the laboratory to validate that ATI-450 may have an impact on these cytokines in the lung, and in particular things driven by the SARS CoV-2.

Added Monahan, It was the right place at the right time.

And so even as most businesses around St. Louis closed their offices and moved to remote work this spring, Confluence doubled down. With staggered shifts and seven-day workweeks, researchers in its headquarters at Cortexs BioSTL building were able to show strong enough results in the lab to receive FDA approval to begin human trials.

Those are to begin in two weeks at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Monahan said. Thirty-six patients will be given the drug in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

The company hopes to show that, by blocking the pathways used to make cytokines, ATI-450 stops the cytokine storms that can be so damaging. Explained Monahan, In so doing, we believe that we would reduce the [acute respiratory distress syndrome] observed in these patients, and reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, decrease the hospital stay, and reduce the mortality.

Listen:

Normally, good results in such a study would mean another three to six years before bringing a drug to market. But Monahan has hopes for a speedier process for ATI-450 when it comes to COVID-19.

If this works really well [against] the disease, and we expand it to more people and it continues to work, I think theres an ability to really shorten those timelines, he said.

Confluence was acquired by Pennsylvania-based Aclaris Therapeutics in 2017, but its researchers remain based in St. Louis. Monahan helped to co-found the company as part of BioSTL after spending 28 years at Pfizer and its legacy companies. The pharmaceutical giant was moving a unit to the Boston area, and rather than relocate, Monahan and some colleagues decided to stay in St. Louis and go out on their own.

We had maybe some different ideas on how to do drug discoveries that we had not been able to do at Pfizer, he said.

St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill, and Lara Hamdan. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.

Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org.

Original post:
COVID-19 Treatment Developed In St. Louis To Begin Human Trials - St. Louis Public Radio

Representational Image of Medicine

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) in the US are studying the effectiveness of an arthritis drug in treating a type of severe immune overreaction seen in patients with COVID-19 induced pneumonia in Phase 3 clinical trial.

The clinical trial is enrolling patients at the Harris Health System's Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital in Houston, Texas. The Phase 3 study is evaluating the effectiveness of the drug canakinumab, an interleukin-1 (IL-1) blocker approved for the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, for preventing cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

Often referred to as a cytokine storm, CRS is a life-threatening immune reaction caused by the body releasing too many cytokines into the blood at once. Cytokines include a broad category of proteins secreted by the body.

Interleukin-1 serves as the first-line defence for the immune system, alerting other proteins to respond if a virus or bacteria are present. Canakinumab blocks the production of IL-1 protein, which could prevent a possible deadly overreaction of the immune system in COVID-19 patients.

Research has linked a number of COVID-19 deaths to CRS due to damage caused to several major organs.

Roberto C. Arduino, MD, the study's lead investigator and professor of infectious disease at the McGovern Medical School in UTHealth, said this is a time for the HIV research community to utilise the members' expertise in the search for a treatment for coronavirus.

Arduino's research background includes the study of new antiretroviral drugs, treatment strategies, immune activation, and inflammation in the search for an HIV cure.

"The research community truly feels compelled to do something in the search for a viable treatment for COVID-19, and I feel I owe it to my community to offer my expertise," said Arduino, who has led HIV clinical research for 22 years.

Researchers are investigating if canakinumab combined with standard-of-care treatment can increase the chances of survival without ever requiring invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia.

Over a two-hour period, patients who are enrolled will receive either a 450 mg, 600 mg, or a 750 mg IV dose of canakinumab based on their body weight, UTHealth said in a statement on Monday. Arduino is the study's lead investigator. All participants will be monitored for up to 29 days, or until they are discharged from the hospital. A follow-up will occur at 127 days.

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

Go here to read the rest:
US Scientists Begin Phase 3 Trial of Arthritis Drug to Study its Effect on COVID-19 - The Weather Channel

Arthritis Ireland has launched a nationwide survey asking people with arthritis to share their experiences of Covid-19. The survey is available online and takes 10-15 mins to complete.

Nearly one million people are living with arthritis in Ireland; many of whom have been severely impacted by the pandemic; for example, due to being immunosuppressed or aged over 70.

The survey includes questions on how the pandemic affected peoples physical and mental health, their access to health services, where they sourced information about the coronavirus, and how their employment and personal finances have been impacted.

Brian Lynch, head of communications and advocacy, said: This research will give us direct insights into how Covid-19 has impacted people living with arthritis. This is a diverse population, but some were extremely medically vulnerable, many were required to cocoon, people had appointments postponed or cancelled. Arthritis is a chronic condition for which there is yet no cure; peoples symptoms, their pain and fatigue didnt disappear during the pandemic.

Lynch said that when they analyse the information, it will help the patient organisation advocate for better services and access to healthcare.

Arthritis is the single biggest cause of disability in Ireland, resulting in significant loss of physical health and function. Inflammatory forms of arthritis are systemic diseases which can affect your whole body. Its vital that our rheumatology service be resourced and structured to best meet the needs of new and existing patients, he said.

At the end of May there were 18,818 people waiting for a rheumatology appointment; 44% of whom were waiting longer than 12 months. There were 68,463 waiting for an appointment with an orthopaedic consultant; 38% of whom were waiting longer than 12 months.

The survey can be accessed via the Arthritis Ireland website,www.arthritisireland.ie.

Read the rest here:
Survey launched on impact of Covid-19 on people with arthritis - TipperaryLive.ie

Synopsis of Global Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market Report:

The Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market complete overview of the market, covering various aspects product definition, segmentation based on various parameters, and the prevailing market landscape. The report provides a distinct point-of-view through analysing market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions.

Furthermore, the development of policies and plans as well as manufacturing processes are mentioned to assist in the decision making process. The report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins to justify the stated forecast. To provide an accurate forecast aspects such as regional demand & supply factors, recent investments, market dynamics including technical growth scenario, consumer behavior, and end use trends and dynamics, and production capacity have also been thoroughly studied.

Have some queries? Get Free Sample PDF Copy based on Latest Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market after the Covid-19 impact: https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/sample-request/360571/

The report provides a granular analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market. Following are some of the segmentations provided in the report ;

Leading players operating in the global Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments market are: AbbVie, Amgen, Bayer, Biogen Idec, Roche, Johnson and Johnson, Merck, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market Growth by Types: Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments, Lupus Treatments

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market Extension by Applications: Hospitals and Clinics, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Homecare Settings

The Global version of this report with a geographical classification would cover regions: North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.), Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa)

Report on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market (covering Covid-19 impacts) at an Impressive Discount! With Corporate Email ID @ https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/discount-request/360571/

While segmentations have been provided to list down various facets of the Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments market, analysis methods such as S.T.E.E.P.L.E., S.W.O.T., Regression analysis, etc. have been utilized to study the underlying factors of the market. Summarization of various aspects consisted in the report have been listed.

What does this research exactly offer?1.The Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments market shares of every equatorial region as well as market share for every product type with the growth rate for the forecast period has been provided.2.The revenue in terms of valuation and percentage at the end of the forecast period has been well explained with the help of a number of tables and charts.3.The study also includes market share for every separate domain of the Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments market from the beginning of the forecast year to the end of the forecast period.4.The Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments study also encompasses a separate section that included data pertaining to certain important aspects of the market such as vital parameters such as industry chain analysis and analysis of the upstream market and many more.5.Additionally, the report will also include an evaluation of the distribution of the consumer base with a percentage base of which domain will be occupying the most market share during and after the forecast base.

Covid-19 virus has vastly transformed the market and has shaken its position such that it is up for grabs. We at Acquire Market Research help you to achieve your desired market position. While its our primary concern we also provide necessary information regarding the Covid-19 virus and necessary step to stay safe.

Critical doubts Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market addressed in the report; What is the CAGR of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market after the effects of Covid-19?What is the current status of markets, with respect to the Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market and who are the market leaders?After dispersion of markets, are there any new entrants in the market who are capturing customers at an exponential rate?Competitive strategies of market leaders and their future plans to capture markets?Effects of Covid-19 on the large markets and potential markets of the Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market.

For more details on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market Report (Post Covid-19 impact), Ask Our Expert (Use Corporate email ID to Get Higher Priority) @ https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/enquire-before/360571/

About us:

At Acquire Market Research the database of the company is updated on a daily basis to provide the clients with reports containing the latest trends and in-depth analysis of the industry. While each report initially generated is prepared with a set benchmark of the industry, the reports are customizable to meet the requirements of the client. After careful validation of the report by our expert analysts, the report on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market has been published.

Contact Us:

Sally Mach555 Madison Avenue,5th Floor, Manhattan,New York, 10022 USAPhone No.: +1 (800) 663-5579Email ID: [emailprotected]

See original here:
COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Solutions on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Treatments Market- Business Growth Strategies by Key Players: AbbVie, Amgen,...

Researchers writing in the current issue of Arthritis and Rheumatology report that a blood thinner may have potential as a preventive treatment for osteoarthritis.

Ticagrelor (Brilinta, AstraZeneca) is a P2Y12 platelet inhibitor currently used to prevent stroke and heart attack in patients with acute coronary syndrome or a history of myocardial infarction. It works by increasing the presence of extracellular adenosine which, in turn, regulates the inflammatory processes. Studies in animal models have shown that it is effective in treating osteoarthritis.

In this study, researchers compared the results in patients who were treated with ticagrelor and a second group who was treated with the blood thinner clopidogrel, which does not increase extracellular adenosine concentrations. This was a five-year study that included 7,007 patients who were treated with ticagrelor for an average of 287 days and 14,014 were treated with clopidogrel for an average of 284 days. The study excluded patients with an osteoarthritis diagnosis at baseline. The average patient was 64 years old and most, at 73 percent, were male. Researchers concluded that patients who were treated with ticagrelor had a 29 percent reduced risk of osteoarthritis (estimated a hazard ratio of 0.71 (95% CI 0.64-0.79, p<0.001).

These findings suggest that extracellular adenosine may play an important role in reducing cartilage inflammation and damage, and that it might serve as a therapeutic target for preventing and treating osteoarthritis in humans, wrote researchers who were led by Matthew C. Baker, M.D., of Stanford University. We believe that even this relatively short treatment period may provide protection against developing osteoarthritis over the subsequent years. It is not clear how long this effect may last, as the follow-up period for this study ended at five years, with a relatively small number of patients at risk after three years.

Osteoarthritis affects about 27 million adults in the United States. It was once thought of merely as degeneration of the joints, but today is more often recognized as a disease driven by low-grade inflammation and complex interactions between genes and the environment, Dr. Baker and colleagues wrote. There are no effective treatments to prevent the onset or progression of osteoarthritis, and novel therapies are needed.

REFERENCE

Matthew C. Baker, Yingjie Weng, Robinson H. William, Neera Ahuja, Nidhi Rohatgi. Osteoarthritis risk is reduced after treatment with ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel: a propensity score matching analysis, Arthritis and Rheumatology. First Published: 21 June 2020

Read this article:
Blood Thinner Could Prevent Osteoarthritis - Rheumatology Network

At first no one believed the mom from Lyme. Polly Murray moved with her family to the Connecticut River town in the late 1950s and within a few years began experiencing mysterious symptoms. There were rashes, migraines, recurring fevers, and severe joint pain including a swollen knee. Over the years her children and even the family dog had similar ailments. Doctors believed it was all in her head, and she agreed to a psychiatrists suggestion to obtain three weeks of inpatient treatment.

By 1975 her two sons were diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but neighbors had children with similar ailments, and Murray, who died last year, didnt believe the occurrences of this rare condition in children were a coincidence. Murray and another mother reached out to the state Health Department and the Yale School of Medicine.

A few months earlier, a 33-year-old doctor named Allen Steere had started a fellowship in rheumatology at Yale School of Medicine. Steere had spent the previous two years investigating disease outbreaks as an epidemic intelligence officer with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. State officials thought he would be the ideal person to investigate these cases. Steere asked Dr. Stephen Malawista, who headed the rheumatology program at the Yale School of Medicine, for permission to start.

He said, Fine, why dont you take six months and see what you can do? Its now 45 years later, and I and lots of other people are still working on this, Steere says.

Steere, now a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of translational research in rheumatology at Massachusetts General Hospital, began contacting parents who had children with joint pain, particularly knee pain. Consulting with school nurses in Lyme and surrounding communities, Steere identified 39 children and 12 adults with this unexplained rheumatoid arthritis in Lyme, as well as neighboring Old Lyme and East Haddam.

It was clear that they had inflammatory arthritis, he says, but the condition was occurring far too frequently in the area, particularly in children. If you had one child in that Lyme, Connecticut, area that had inflammatory arthritis, maybe thats what youd expect, but not 39. Moreover, there was clustering within certain areas. There were a couple of roads where 1 in 10 children had this type of inflammatory arthritis.

It was apparent that this was something different than had been seen before and described in the medical literature, and we began to call it Lyme arthritis, Steere adds.

Through contact tracing, Steere learned that most cases had occurred in the summer and early fall, and there was no evidence of person-to-person spread. Twenty-five percent of the patients remembered having a strange skin lesion shortly before they developed symptoms. Around the same time, Steere learned from a Danish dermatology resident at Yale that a similar skin lesion called erythema migrans had been known in Europe for years and was caused by a tick bite.

Residents told Steere that as recently as the 1960s there were no ticks, but that the area had been inundated with them by the 1970s. This was due to massive swaths of farmland being converted back to forests, which supported tick and wildlife habitats. By 1976 Steere and his fellow researchers put forth the belief that ticks were responsible for spreading the infection. In 1981 a researcher at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory named Willy Burgdorfer identified the bacteria that causes Lyme. Meanwhile, Steere helped to research early antibiotic treatments for the disease.

Though Lyme emerged from the wilds in Connecticut in and around the 1970s, it was not a new disease, Steere says. There are descriptions of what sounds like Lyme disease in writings from the 1600s and confirmed cases of the disease found in preserved specimens in New England and Europe from the 1800s. The 2010 autopsy of tzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old frozen mummy found in the Eastern Alps in the 1990s, revealed he had Lyme disease.

Despite this historical evidence of the condition, conspiracy theories as to its origins are rampant. The most prominent holds that it was a biological warfare agent developed at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, a federal island research facility dedicated to the study of animal diseases 8 miles off the Connecticut coast. Between 1952 and 1954, the island also served as the headquarters for the Army Chemical Corps. The corps hoped to study biological weapons, but according to credible accounts, never truly pursued its work on the island. In addition, Lyme-like conditions were never studied at the island, and there would be records if they were, as the work that takes place on the island is not classified. In addition, tick specimens from 1945 from the South Fork of Long Island were also found to contain the disease, several years before the island facility opened in the 1950s.

Back in the 1970s, Steere says, I knew nothing about Plum Island and nobody thought that Plum Island had anything to do with this. He adds that it wasnt until many years later that he first started hearing conspiracy theories linking Lyme disease to Plum Island.

Jane Marsh, a lifelong Old Lyme resident, recalls her father being one of the first adults to get the disease. Marsh later got the disease, as did everyone in her family. We did not suspect that anything came floating across from there to Old Lyme, she says. She got wind of the conspiracy theory later and, though she never bought into it, Marsh says she knows people in the area who believe it.

The theory has also stretched beyond Connecticut. Last year New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith called for an investigation into whether the Department of Defense experimented with ticks and other insects to deliver biological weapons between 1950 and 1970.

Plum Island isnt the only controversy associated with Lyme disease. Chronic Lyme is a condition many patients believe they have but which the Centers for Disease Control does not recognize, and which Steere has said is overdiagnosed.

Lyme disease is a complex infection, there are no two ways about it, Steere says. Its an illness that without treatment can occur in stages with different manifestations at each stage. People can have neurologic involvement, they can have cardiac involvement, they can have arthritis. But it does not cause everything. There are advocacy groups that have grown up that attribute a much wider spectrum of illness to Lyme disease than is the case in mainstream medicine.

This article originally appeared in Connecticut Magazine. You can subscribe here , or find the current issue on sale here . Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest and greatest content from Connecticut Magazine delivered right to your inbox. On Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag .

Read the original post:
Lyme disease emerged in CT in the 1970s ... then the conspiracy theories started - CT Insider

Arthritis pain can lead to a number of debilitating symptoms that patients will want to try and avoid.

The condition can make life more difficult when carrying out simply, everyday tasks.

But, just some simple lifestyle changes could go a long way in helping to prevent arthritis symptoms from flaring up.

One of the best ways to avoid triggering arthritis symptoms is to eat more nuts, it's been revealed.

READ MORE: Arthritis warning - the common vegetable you should avoid

"Certain foods can actually help to ease arthritis symptoms and improve your overall joint health," said Penn Medicine.

"Along with the use of medications, a proper diet can curb the inflammatory responses from the body that cause pain.

"Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts contain high amounts of fibre, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin E and Omega-3 fats which all have anti-inflammatory effects.

"Nuts are also heart-healthy, which is particularly important for people with rheumatoid arthritis, since they have twice the risk of heart disease as healthy adults."

Common arthritis symptoms include joint pain, inflammation, and restricted movement.

There are two key types of arthritis in the UK; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis to be diagnosed in the UK - around nine million people are believed to have osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis, meanwhile, is an auto-immune disease that has been diagnosed in about 400,000 individuals.

Read the rest here:
Arthritis pain - the cheap snack you should add to your shopping list to avoid symptoms - Express.co.uk

This article was originally published on CBD Seniors. To view the original article, click here.

In the United States, 23 percent of adults suffer from arthritis. Around the world, 350 million people have this condition. While most people who have arthritis are age 65 or older, there are still many young and middle-aged adults who also have this condition.

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for arthritis. The best thing that scientists can currently do for the condition is alleviate the symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease. By reducing the bodys inflammatory response, doctors can help you live in less pain for longer. While every drug carries some risks and side effects, cannabidiol (CBD) is showing promise as a way to treat the pain of arthritis and reduce the progression of the disease. How Does CBD Help?

Thanks to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers can now grow and process hemp in the United States. Because of this, CBD is now widely available online for people across the country. In addition to helping with conditions like insomnia and anxiety, research also shows that CBD can help alleviate pain as well.

CBD is a chemical compound that is naturally found within cannabis plants. While this compound will not make you high, it does have other useful benefits. Since cannabis was completely illegal until very recently, scientists are still working to understand the effects of using cannabis. CBD is only one out of dozens of different cannabinoids in cannabis, so other cannabinoids may have additional effects as well.

In the United States, people can readily buy CBD balm, tinctures, vaporizers and gummies. One study by Harris Poll found that 85 percent of Americans have already heard about CBD. Out of these adults, more than 20 percent have actually tried it.

Once CBD is extracted from cannabis, it can be used to treat ailments ranging from anxiety to chronic stress. CBD works by targeting receptors in the endogenous cannabinoid system. The cannabinoid system consists of neurotransmitters that naturally bind to cannabinoid receptors. These cannabinoid receptor proteins are naturally made in the human body. CBD targets the same receptors in order to alleviate pain, anxiety and stress.

Currently, about 55 percent of users state that they take CBD in order to relax.An estimated half of people use CBD for anxiety and stress. The next most common reason why people used CBD was for pain. In addition, some people use CBD for menstrual symptoms, migraines, nausea and sexual enhancement.

What Does the Research Say?

Because CBD was illegal like the rest of the cannabis plant, researchers are still trying to gain a better understanding of how effective this drug is for various conditions. In addition, researchers still need to figure out effective dosages. In rats, moderate doses of CBD have been shown to produce an anti-anxiety effect.

Another rat study shows that oral and topical solutions of CBD can help to alleviate pain. This particular study involved scientists exposing the rats sciatic nerves using an incision. Then, they constricted the nerves. Another part of the study involved injecting bacteria into the rats paws to cause inflammation. Afterward, the scientists gave the rats CBD or a placebo for a week. They applied pressure or heat to the rats legs to see how their reaction changed in comparison to their pre-study reactions. The rats that received CBD had less pain than the control group.

In a 2010 study of human patients, 177 people experiencing cancer-related pain were given extracts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD. The patients who received extracts with THC and CBD were twice as likely to experience pain relief as the patients who received just THC. This seems to indicate that CBD alone or the combination of the two is the component that leads to pain relief.

Related: Looking for reliable CBD products backed by lab-test results? Check out RealTestedCBD.

CBD and Arthritis Pain

An estimated 54 million Americans suffer from arthritis. Out of this number, 24 million Americans have to limit their daily activities because of arthritis. While people may say they just have arthritis, arthritis is actually a term that covers more than 100 different conditions. All of these conditions involve some level of swelling, pain and stiffness. With certain kinds of arthritis, the organs can also be affected.

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis. This is the form that causes cartilage to deteriorate. Since this cartilage helps to protect your bones from friction, it can lead to pain and joint damage. People who experience this condition can develop inflammation as well. Because it takes time for cartilage to deteriorate, this condition typically affects the elderly more than it affects young adults.

Inflammatory arthritis like psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis are connected to autoimmune conditions. These kinds of conditions develop because the immune system thinks that it is under attack from invaders. Instead of attacking invading viruses, the body attacks organs or bones. This leads to severe pain and inflammation.

Once someone experiences joint deterioration, the symptoms tend to get worse over time. Other than treating joint and nerve pain, many patients also need help with inflammation. By using CBD, you might be able to limit your joint pain, inflammation and mobility issues. Arthritis symptoms like stiffness, decreased joint movement and pain tend to respond well to CBD.

How the Endocannabinoid System Works

The endocannabinoid system is a fairly recent discovery. It was discovered after researchers started learning about the way cannabis affects the body, which is how this system got its name. People have used cannabis for therapeutic purposes for centuries. In 1964, researchers finally managed to isolate THC. Amazingly, this was the first time scientists learned how cannabis made people high.

Out of all of the cannabinoids, THC is the most abundant in the plant. THC affects neuronal signaling in the body. During the 1990s, researchers found different cannabinoid receptors in the body. Researchers discovered that THC binds with CB1 receptors in the central nervous system. Outside of the central nervous system, THC binds with CB2 receptors. CBD is also thought to work closely with CB2 receptors, which are known to regulate the immune system. The human body does not have cannabinoid systems and receptors by accident.

These receptors were designed to work with natural cannabinoids that your body produces. There are actually two other types of endocannabinoid receptors, but scientists are still uncertain about what these receptors do.

Your cannabinoid system is responsible for processes involving learning, executive function, memory, emotions, sensory reception, motor function and decision making. Your cannabinoid receptors are located in the central nervous system and peripheral nerves. By making changes to the endocannabinoid system by taking CBD, you may be able to reduce your perceived pain and change any processes that are affected by the cannabinoid system.

The Benefits of CBD for Arthritis

Recent studies show that 42 percent of Baby Boomers already use CBD to help with their joint point. In animal research, CBD has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. By taking CBD, you may be able to reduce the signs and symptoms of arthritis.

Pain Suppression

One of the major reasons why people use CBD for arthritis is to reduce pain. Recent studies show that 62.2 percent of marijuana users took marijuana for pain relief. Almost all seniors experience some kind of pain later in life, and CBD can help reduce this pain. Cannabis and CBD are especially useful for joint pain from conditions like arthritis.

Nerve Protectant

Interestingly, CBD can also protect your nerves. It helps to reduce joint neuropathy. This is one of the reasons why it is useful for conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Joint Support

Another one of the ways CBD can help is by supporting the joints. Taking CBD can reduce the inflammation around your joints. Reduced inflammation can also improve the symptoms of other diseases as well.

Insomnia Reduction

When you are in a lot of pain, it can feel impossible to sleep at night. In one study of Sativex and rheumatoid arthritis, many participants were able to sleep better when they used the drug. Cannabinoid products can help reduce physical discomfort and inflammation, which can naturally improve the quality of your sleep.

How Can You Use CBD?

You no longer have to roll a joint to use cannabis. Instead, there is a wide variety of different methods available for taking CBD. From edibles to topicals, you can choose the option that works best for you.

Until recently, the legality of CBD was in question. Some states legalized medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, but marijuana was still illegal on a federal level. Since CBD is made from the cannabis plant, this essentially meant that CBD was illegal.

More recently, the 2018 Farm Bill finally became law. This bill essentially legalized hemp under federal law with a few important caveats. While growers could produce hemp and CBD, they were not allowed to produce THC. Farmers can legally grow hemp, but the hemp is not allowed to have any THC in it. Is CBD Safe?

One of the biggest problems with CBD is knowing how much to take and which drugs to avoid. Because CBD has not gone through major clinical trials yet, there are still many unknowns about things like the dosage and other factors. If a medication is strong enough to cause a cure, it is safe to assume that it is also strong enough to cause side effects and drug interactions. Current research and anecdotal reports generally indicate very few side effects associated with CBD, but there are some potential risks to keep in mind.

Because of the potential side effects, it is important to talk to your doctor before taking CBD. This is especially important if you have other medical conditions or take any medications. CBD can change how prescription medications are processed in the liver. This means it can potentially cause drug interactions with medications like Zofran, Clozaril, Endometrin, Luminal, Valium, Prilosec, Motrin, Celebrex, Paxil and Allegra.

In general, most experts agree that CBD is safe to take. It carries very low risks. Currently, there has never been a reported case of a CBD overdose. CBD can potentially cause drowsiness for some users, so you should remember this if you plan on operating heavy machinery or driving. How Can You Use CBD for Arthritis?

When you first start using CBD, it is a good idea to start with a low dosage. By doing this, you can give your body time to adjust to the medication. If you do not see results, you can always increase your dose later on. Most people take CBD twice a day. In the beginning, people often start with a dose between 5 and 10 milligrams. If this does not alleviate your symptoms, you can gradually increase your dosage incrementally until you reach up to 100 milligrams a day. While scientists still do not know how all of the cannabinoids work, it seems like some cannabinoids work better when they are taken together. For example, taking THC and CBD at the same time may increase the effectiveness of your dose. With a full-spectrum oil or isolate, you can get a range of cannabinoids instead of just CBD.

For arthritis pain, some people start by just using the product at night so that they can sleep better. You can also start by using a topical product or vaping so that you get immediate effects. Then, you can use edibles. Candies and edible products take longer to take effect, but the effects last longer. Vaping the extract allows CBD to get into your bloodstream quickly, which is useful for acute pain relief.

If you use CBD orally, remember that your body may be unable to absorb the CBD for around an hour. Once the oral CBD is absorbed, it can last for a long time. If you have localized pain, you may want to use a topical remedy like a salve, lotion or balm instead. When you apply a CBD gel on the affected area, you can instantly get relief for acute pain, swelling and inflammation.

Visit link:
The Ultimate Guide to CBD and Seniors With Arthritis - Cleveland Scene

EXTON, Pa., June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Spherix recently published the inaugural report of the semiannual report series included in their RealTime Dynamix: Psoriatic Arthritis (EU)service, which captured the responses of 246 EU5 rheumatologists surveyed last month. The market intelligence firm has been closely tracking the US psoriatic arthritis (PsA) market on a quarterly basis since 2016 and has observed a relatively stagnant treatment landscape over the past few years. However, the possible introduction of Janssen's IL-23 inhibitor, Tremfya, to both the EU and US PsA markets before the year is over will carry with it the debut of a novel class to the indication, likely causing a stir in rheumatologists' treatment algorithm.

According to the new Spherix report, TNF inhibitor use for the treatment of PsA across the EU5 remains widespread, accounting for two-thirds of all biologic/small molecule-treated patients. For adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab, use is relatively split between biosimilars and the branded reference agent (AbbVie's Humira, Amgen's Enbrel, and Janssen's Remicade, respectively), though use of Enbrel has been most eroded by generic competition.

When looking at use of alternate mechanism of action (AMOA) agents, Novartis' Cosentyx is the most penetrated brand across the EU5, showcasing the highest user base and self-reported brand share among all AMOA agents, followed by Janssen's Stelara. Eli Lilly's second-in-class IL-17 inhibitor, Taltz, has yet to reach the same heights as Cosentyx, and EU5 rheumatologists most often cite their level of experience as the key differentiator between the two agents. This, coupled with the fact that only one-quarter of respondents believe the two IL-17 inhibitors to be completely interchangeable, suggests that Taltz has ample room to grow (given more experience with the brand).

In fact, when assessing rheumatologists' six-month projected biologic/small molecule brand share in PsA, Taltz and Pfizer's Xeljanz are poised for the greatest growth. While Xeljanz is currently even-keeled with Taltz, Lilly's agent is expected to outgrow Pfizer's in the coming months, with anticipated share of Taltz expected to nearly double.

Despite the advantage of oral administration and a unique MOA in the EU PsA market, Xeljanz is struggling to surpass rheumatologists' expectations, and the majority of use is seen in second or later lines of therapy. Just shy of two years post EMA approval, respondents report long-term safety concerns as the most common primary barrier to use for the JAK inhibitor.

Interestingly, Spherix data included in a complementary service reveals EU5 rheumatologists' noticeable preference for Lilly's Olumiant over Xeljanz for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and respondents perceive Olumiant's JAK 1/2 pathway to be the safest option regarding cardiovascular side effects. This is likely a contributing factor in addition to a longer tenure and multiple EMA-approved dosing options in RA to the slower anticipated uptake of Xeljanz in the EU5 PsA market, as prescribers may see the TNF or IL-17 inhibitors as more viable options concerning both safety and efficacy.

Nonetheless, Tremfya (guselkumab), which is in Phase 3 clinical trials for treatment in PsA, is currently under EMA review for EU approval. The introduction of the IL-23 inhibitor will be the first of its class and is expected to throw a curve in rheumatologists' current trajectories. Surveyed rheumatologists also provided six-month projected use patterns considering the commercialization of Tremfya in PsA, and respondents estimate the new entrant will capture a sizeable portion of the market.

As a result, in a post-Tremfya world, EU5 rheumatologists predict continued erosion of the TNF inhibitors and a significant reduction in the projected growth for Taltz and Xeljanz. Cosentyx share is also slated to decrease while Stelara and BMS' Orencia remain relatively stable. One-quarter of surveyed respondents consider Tremfya to be an advance over other treatments, and the majority cite "efficacy in skin/use in psoriasis" as the greatest advantage of the IL-23 class. On the other hand, perceived efficacy of the IL-23 inhibitors could also contribute to lackluster penetration of the class, as overall efficacy was also the number one disadvantage reported by rheumatologists, likely referring to unknown performance in joints for the treatment of PsA.

That is where other late-stage pipeline assets come in and set the stage for an even more dynamic future treatment landscape. Earlier this month, AbbVie announced the EMA regulatory application submission for their JAK inhibitor, Rinvoq (upadacitinib), for the treatment of PsA. While the JAK will likely come second to the Tremfya launch and will not bring with it the introduction of a novel class, early uptake and encouraging efficacy perceptions of Rinvoq for the treatment RA will likely translate to greater use in PsA (granted looming safety concerns surrounding the class do not prevail).

About RealTime DynamixRealTime Dynamix: Psoriatic Arthritis (EU)is an independent service providing strategic guidance through rapid and comprehensive semiannual reports, which include market trending, launch tracking, and a fresh infusion of unique content with each wave.

About Spherix Global InsightsSpherix Global Insights is a hyper-focused market intelligence firm that leverages our own independent data and expertise to provide strategic guidance, so biopharma stakeholders make decisions with confidence. We specialize in select immunology, nephrology, and neurology markets.

All company, brand or product names in this document are trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information contact:Kristen Henn, Business Development ManagerEmail:info@spherixglobalinsights.comwww.spherixglobalinsights.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eu5-rheumatologists-expect-the-introduction-of-janssens-tremfya-in-psoriatic-arthritis-to-blunt-anticipated-growth-of-eli-lillys-taltz-novartis-cosentyx-and-pfizers-xeljanz-301081366.html

SOURCE Spherix Global Insights

View original post here:
EU5 Rheumatologists Expect the Introduction of Janssen's Tremfya in Psoriatic Arthritis to Blunt Anticipated Growth of Eli Lilly's Taltz, Novartis'...

The latest report pertaining to Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market provides a detailed analysis regarding market size, revenue estimations and growth rate of the industry. In addition, the report illustrates the major obstacles and newest growth strategies adopted by leading manufacturers who are a part of the competitive landscape of this market.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term, progressive and disabling autoimmune disease (as in this condition a persons immune system mistakes the bodys healthy tissues for foreign invaders). It is also a systemic disease, which means it affects the whole body. It causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in and around the joints and other body organs.

Get Sample Copy of This Premium Report https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestSample/PostId/316

**The sample pages of this report is immediately accessible on-demand.**

It most commonly affects the hands and feet first, but it can occur in any joint. Its major symptoms includes; pain, swelling, and stiffness in more than one joint, symmetrical joint involvement, joint deformity, unsteadiness when walking, a general feeling of being unwell, fever, loss of function and mobility, weight loss, weakness and others. There are several different types of rheumatoid arthritis, some of them are seropositive RA, seronegative RA and JIA (juvenile idiopathic arthritis). It affects adults of any age, although most people are diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60 and it is two to three times more common among women than men. A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is based on the patients symptoms, a physical examination and the results of x-rays, scans and blood tests.

Global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market report is segmented on the basis of type, end-user and region & country level. Based upon type, global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is classified into serology tests and monitoring rheumatoid arthritis treatment efficiency tests. The serology tests segment is further categorized into erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, uric acid and others. The monitoring rheumatoid arthritis treatment efficiency tests segment is further categorized into muscle enzyme tests, salicylate level count and creatinine test. Based upon end-user, global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is divided into hospitals, diagnostics laboratories and ambulatory surgical centers.

The regions covered in this Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. On the basis of country level, the market of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests is sub divided into U.S., Mexico, Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, India, South East Asia, Middle East Asia (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt) GCC, Africa, etc.

Key Players

Some major key players for Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market are Antibodies Inc., Euro Diagnostica AB, Qiagen NV, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Bio Rad Laboratories Inc., Genway Biotech, Inc., Abbott Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and others.

Increasing Aging Population Coupled with the Increasing Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis is Expected to Drive the Market Growth.

The major factor driving the growth of global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is increasing aging population coupled with the increasing prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis globally. For example; As per National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S.; The number of people with rheumatoid arthritis is projected to increase from 422,309 in 2015 to 579,915 in 2030. Health care costs for rheumatoid arthritis were estimated to be over $550 million in 2015, including $273 million spent on biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Health care costs for rheumatoid arthritis are projected to rise to over $755 million by the year 2030.

In addition, increasing cases of obesity and growing cigarette smoking population are also anticipated to drive the growth of global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market. As Cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and obese people significantly have greater chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis than the healthy weight person. For example; the model created by Dr. Finkelstein and his colleagues at Duke and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the U.S. obesity rate will be at 42% by 2030. Furthermore, increasing awareness about the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests and improving healthcare infrastructure are also supplementing the growth of the market. However, higher costs of these RA diagnostic test kits may hamper the market growth.

North America is Expected to Dominate the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market

The global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific Latin America and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market within the forecast period attributed to the highly developed healthcare infrastructure and increased awareness in this region. Europe is projected to capture the significant share of global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market owing to the increasing obese population in this region. For example; The percentage of obese people in the countries of the European Union continues to increase every year. The dynamics of obesity growth in Europe is greater for men than for women (3.09% per year vs. 1.92% per year). With the growth rate remaining at the estimated level, in 2030 there will probably be more obese men (38.1%) than women (32.7%) in Poland, and in Europe likewise 36.6% and 32.0%, respectively. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness a lucrative growth in global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market owing to the increasing research and development for new and more effective treatments and increasing cases of autoimmune diseases in this region.

Key Benefits for Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market Report

Market Segmentation:-

By Type:

By End-User:

Get Full Report: https://brandessenceresearch.com/healthcare/rheumatoid-arthritis-diagnosis-tests

About us: Brandessence Market Research and Consulting Pvt. ltd.

Brandessence market research publishes market research reports & business insights produced by highly qualified and experienced industry analysts. Our research reports are available in a wide range of industry verticals including aviation, food & beverage, healthcare, ICT, Construction, Chemicals and lot more. Brand Essence Market Research report will be best fit for senior executives, business development managers, marketing managers, consultants, CEOs, CIOs, COOs, and Directors, governments, agencies, organizations and Ph.D. Students. We have a delivery center in Pune, India and our sales office is in London.

Contact usat: +44-2038074155 ormail usat[emailprotected]

Read the original:
Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market Types, Trends, Size, Share, Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast upto 2025 - Cole of Duty

Significant increases were observed over time in age at arthroplasty and disease duration before the first arthroplasty in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), according to study results published in Arthritis Care & Research. Researchers noted that JIA category, calendar year of arthroplasty, and the presence of complications were significantly associated with implant survival.

Investigators conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with JIA who underwent total joint replacement surgery at a hospital in Milan, Italy between January 1992 and June 2019. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from patients medical records. Patients were followed up from their arthroplasty for implant survival, complications, and/or revision surgeries. The primary aim of the study was to describe trends in arthroplasty. Implant survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method; predictors of survival were identified using Cox regression models.

Between 1992 and 2019, a total of 198 arthroplasties were observed in 85 patients (65% women). Median age at first prosthesis was 22.7 years and median disease duration before the first implant was 17.4 years. The most represented JIA categories were polyarticular and systemic JIA. No significant differences in age at arthroplasty, disease duration before surgery, number of implants, and rate of complications were observed between JIA categories. The most frequently replaced joint was the hip, followed by the knee and ankle.

Compared with patients who underwent surgery before 2000, patients treated after 2010 were significantly older (mean ages, 21.93 vs 27.81 years, respectively). Similarly, mean disease duration before arthroplasty increased from 16.98 to 22.93 years. Rates of implant survival at 5, 10, and 15 years ranged from 84% to 89%, with 52% of implants lasting for 20 years. Compared with patients with polyarticular JIA, those with systemic JIA had lower survival rates at 10, 15, and 20 years (P <.001). According to multivariate analysis, the year of surgery was significantly associated with implant survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.0004; 95% CI, 1.0002-1.0006; P <.001). The absence of complications predicted greater survival (HR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.82-7.48; P <.001).

Between 1992 and 2019, significant upward trends were observed in age at arthroplasty and disease duration before arthroplasty in a cohort of patients with JIA. Procedure year, complications, and JIA subtype were each significantly associated with implant survival.

As study limitations, investigators noted the lack of data on implant functionality and health-related quality of life, as implant survival alone may have be an insufficient measure of arthroplasty experience. The upward trend in age at arthroplasty could have reflected the increased efficacy of other medical treatments, such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

The progressive improvement of medical treatment will lower the need for total joint replacement. Future researches should assess functional outcome and survival of implants in relation to medical therapy and different surgical approaches, the investigators wrote.

Reference

Marino A, Pontikaki I, Truzzi M, et al. Early joint replacement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): trend over time and factors influencing implant survival [published online May 31, 2020]. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). doi:10.1002/acr.24337

Go here to read the rest:
Age at Arthroplasty, Disease Duration Increased With Time in Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis - Rheumatology Advisor

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by pain and inflammation in joints, typically of the hands and feet. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system of the body attacks its own healthy cells, resulting in inflammation of the membrane lining the joints (synovial membrane) and damage to joint tissue.

Rheumatoid arthritis also affects other organs such as the skin, heart, lungs, and eyes. The annual incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is approximately three cases per 10,000 people worldwide.

What is the main cause of rheumatoid arthritis?

The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. However, some of the contributing factors to rheumatoid arthritis are:

What are the symptoms and signs of rheumatoid arthritis?

While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, there are times when symptoms worsen (flares) and times when the patient recuperates from the symptoms (remission). Some of the most common signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis observed are:

What are the four stages of rheumatoid arthritis?

The American College of Rheumatology classifies rheumatoid arthritis into four stages, based on the disease progression and radiologic findings:

Based on the function of the patient, rheumatoid arthritis can be classified as:

How can be rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed?

Rheumatoid arthritis can be diagnosed based on its clinical presentation in the joints as well as using the following blood tests:

Radiographic findings are used by the doctor to assess the arthritis progression. The physician may suggest a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or joint aspiration for further evaluation.

What is the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis?

The goals of the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis include:

The treatment approach involves treating the disease with medication, education, and lifestyle modifications.

Drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are:

Surgical treatment can be required for severe joint damage.

What are the complications of rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to the following complications:

Rheumatoid arthritis is not curable but with appropriate treatment, the disease can be controlled. Treatments are most effective when initiated early in the disease.

Medically Reviewed on 6/19/2020

References

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/331715-overview

See the article here:
What Is the Main Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis? 4 Stages - MedicineNet

When you have an inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), what you do every day can majorly impact your joints and your level of pain.

While treatment and medications will vary from patient to patient, doctors typically tell people living with RA to get regular activity since its been shown to reduce arthritis-related joint pain and delay disability. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifically recommends that RA patients strength train twice a week and do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (think: fast walking, swimming, and running) weekly.

But lets be real: Its one thing to hear that exercise can help, and another to actually do it when youre not feeling your best. To help you stick to a routine, we asked three women living with RA how they stay active on the regular.

Rheumatoid arthritis advocate Eileen Davidson, who blogs at ChronicEileen.com, says she makes working out at home a priority to help combat her RA symptoms. She tends to use an elliptical, but also likes going for brisk, long walks and doing pilates and yoga videos on YouTube. I just do the moves I can do. Davidson says.

Davidson loves doing yoga videos at home and going on long walks.

Davidson said she started small with working out and saw benefits from exercising and her medication, like less pain in her joints. The important thing was that I started and stayed consistent, she says. Now, when I am feeling crummy, I know that moving my body a little will help me feel better.

Linda Luckmann, who identifies herself on Instagram as a rheumatoid arthritis warrior, discovered after her diagnosis that she loves Zumba and taking long walks. It hurts sometimesmy joints don't feel greatbut being active definitely helps keep me feeling good, she says.

Luckman says being active helps her symptoms under control. But at the same time, she listens to her body when she needs to take a day off.

Still, Luckmann says there are some days when she needs to rest. I have to know how much energy I can spend doing things each day because you dont want to completely drain yourself, she says, pointing out that shes still not pain-free. Every day there is discomfort, but you kind of get used to it and learn to appreciate the days you feel less crappy, she says.

Davidson says she does all her strength training at home because she feels more comfortable and motivated when she has privacy. My balance is off, and I need to break things up, she says.

Chronic illness advocate Mariah Zebrowski Leach, who runs a blog about her life with RA called From This Point. Forward., was playing college water polo when she was initially diagnosed with RA. She eventually had to quit the team after her symptomswhich included pain, severely swollen joints, and low energygot to be too much. Now, shes found different ways to stay active.

Living with RA has actually encouraged me to try things I might not have done otherwise, she says. Leachs husband did a fundraising 525-mile bike ride, which inspired her to take up cycling. I had never been on a road bike before, but I bought one and started riding it, she said. She eventually ended up doing the same 525-mile bike ride as her husband. Its funny to me that one of the greatest athletic achievements of my life happened because of my RA diagnosis, she says.

Leach now has three kids, and says she largely stays active by doing walks and bike rides with them. I wore my third baby [in a baby carrier] a lot while trying to keep up with her very active brothers, she says, noting that it helped take the strain off of her hands and wrists, and made her core stronger.

Leach takes a moment to enjoy the scenery while on a family hike.

Leach was a snowboarder before she had RA, and says she stopped doing the sport for five years after she was diagnosed. Even when we found a treatment plan that was effective, for a long while I was still afraid to get back on my snowboard because I was worried about injuring myself, she says. It took a few more years for me to understand my new body well enough to try snowboarding again.

Now, Leach says she snowboards at a very different pace than I used to, adding, its more about getting out on the beautiful mountain and enjoying a few runs and fresh air than shredding all day long or doing double black diamonds.

Regular activity can help combat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but everyone is different. If youre struggling with symptoms of RA, check in with your doctor. They should be able to provide personalized guidance to help.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

See more here:
How 3 Women Stay Active with Rheumatoid Arthritis - Women's Health

The following article is part of coverage from the American Academy of Dermatologys Annual Meeting (AAD 2020). Because of concerns regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, all AAD 2020 sessions and presentations were transitioned to a virtual format. While live events will not proceed as planned, readers can click here to view more news related to research presented during the AAD VMX 2020 virtual experience.

Patients with a newly recorded diagnosis of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) have increased risks for developing inflammatory arthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to study results presented at the American Academy of Dermatologys Virtual Meeting Experience (AAD VMX) 2020, held online from June 12 to 14, 2020.

To evaluate and compare the risk for inflammatory arthritis in patients with vs without HS, researchers collected data from patients having commercial insurance in the United States, from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2017. The study cohort included patients with newly diagnosed HS who were propensity score-matched 1:1 with control participants without HS with similar risk profiles. All participants were followed until 1 of the events, including primary outcome, death, disenrollment, or end of datastream, occurred. The main outcome of the study was a new diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, including AS, PsA, other spondyloarthritis (SpA), or RA. Researchers conducted all statistical analyses using a validated version of the Aetion Evidence Platform.

Researchers identified 70,697 patients with HS (mean age, 36.5414.65 years; 78.0% women) and 141,411 without HS (mean age, 38.2921.12 years; 52.0% women) after 2:1 risk set sampling and before propensity score matching. Researchers also noted that patients did not have a range of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions before cohort entry. Median follow-up for patients with and without HS was 527 and 539 days, respectively.

After propensity score matching, results showed that age, sex, healthcare utilization, and comorbidities were similar between both groups. Patients with vs without HS (n=60,872 for both) had a 65%, 44%, and 16% increased risk for AS, PsA, and RA, respectively (incidence rates, 0.6 vs 0.4, 0.8 vs 0.6, and 4.5 vs 3.9 per 1000 person-years; hazard ratios [HRs; 95% CI], 1.65 [1.15-2.35], 1.44 [1.08-1.93], and 1.16 [1.03-1.31], respectively). Researchers did not observe any association of HS with other SpA (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.89-1.93), including reactive arthropathy, spinal enthesopathy, sacroiliitis, or unspecific inflammatory spondylopathies.

Researchers concluded, Given the high burden of disease associated with both HS and arthritis, physicians treating patients with HS should be aware of symptoms suggestive of inflammatory arthritis (ie, morning stiffness, joint pain or swelling).

Reference

Schneeweiss MC, Kim SC, Schneeweiss S, Rosmarin D, Merola JF. Hidradenitis suppurativa and the risk of inflammatory arthritis: a population-based follow-up study. Presented at: AAD VMX 2020; June 12-14, 2020. Poster 14344.

Follow this link:
Increased Risk for Inflammatory Arthritis in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Hidradenitis Suppurativa - Dermatology Advisor

For the first time, nationally endorsed performance measures in British Columbia, Canada, were operationalized using administrative data, allowing for population-level quality of care reports on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The reports showed improvements in access to rheumatologist care and early treatment over time, although suboptimal rates of specialist follow-up and accompanying low levels of disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use persisted, according to study findings published in Arthritis Care & Research.

This longitudinal population-based RA cohort study used administrative health data to operationalize and report on 4 of 6 nationally endorsed RA performance measures developed by the Arthritis Alliance of Canada. The 4 tested performance measures were: percentage of incident patients with 1 rheumatologist visits within 365 days of diagnosis; proportion of prevalent RA patients with 1 rheumatologist visits per year; percentage of prevalent RA patients who received DMARD therapy; and time from RA diagnosis to DMARD prescription. All adult patients who received care for RA in British Columbia from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2009, were identified and followed until December 2014.

A total of 38,673 incident cases and 57,922 prevalent cases of RA were included in the cohort. Although the percentage of patients seeing a rheumatologist in the first year of diagnosis was suboptimal, rates improved from 35% in 2000 to 65% in 2009. Improved performance was noticed in patients who ever saw a rheumatologist in follow-up, which increased from 74% in 2000 to 96% in 2009; however, the lower performance in earlier years could have been due to longer follow-up times. When the measure was reported as patients seeing a rheumatologist within the first 5 years, the performance became 88% in 2000 and 97% in 2009.

The percentage of patients with RA under the care of a rheumatologist declined from 79% in 2001 to 39% in 2014 using the fixed interval method, or from 82% in 2001 to 42% in 2014 using the gaps method. Among patients not under the care of a rheumatologist, DMARD use was suboptimal, with little improvement over time. Overall, regardless of physician type, only 37% of patents were prescribed a DMARD in 2014, with the highest rates of DMARD use (87% in 2014) seen among patients under active rheumatology care. The median time from RA diagnosis to DMARD therapy initiation in patients seen by a rheumatologist improved from 49 days in 2000 to 23 days in 2009, with 21% and 34% receiving DMARD treatment within the 14-day benchmark in 2000 and 2009, respectively.

The investigators concluded that the results of this study will inform further reporting on the measures nationally and help serve in benchmarking when planning quality improvement and advocacy work.

Timely communication of performance at the practice level could be used to influence clinical care, they added.

Reference

Barber CEH, Marshall DA, Szefer E, et al. A population-based approach to reporting system-level performance measures for rheumatoid arthritis care [published online March 7, 2020]. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). doi:10.1002/acr.24178

The rest is here:
PopulationBased Reports of National Rheumatoid Arthritis Care Performance Measures - Rheumatology Advisor

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, which means it's caused by the immune system attacking healthy body tissue.

Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is attributed to lifestyle factors such as injury and obesity, and genetic factors such as family history.

Both are also united in their lack of cure but there are a number of treatments to help relieve the symptoms.

Several research studies suggest the anti-inflammatory properties found in ginger can have an alleviating effect, for example.

READ MORE:Arthritis symptoms: The tell-tale signs you could have the condition in your knees

Taking ginger extract helped to reduce knee pain upon standing and after walking.

What's more, researchers in study published in The Journal of Pain found that ginger was an effective pain reliever for human muscle pain resulting from an exercise-induced injury.

Participants who ingested two grams of either raw ginger or heated ginger experienced reduced pain and inflammation.

Heat-treated ginger was thought to have a stronger effect, but both types of ginger were found to be equally helpful.

Too much weight places excess pressure on the joints in your hips, knees, ankles and feet, leading to increased pain and mobility problems, says the NHS.

In fact, exercise can bring both direct and indirect benefits for managing arthritis, notes the health body.

In addition to aiding weight loss, exercise can:

"Your GP can recommend the type and level of exercise that's right for you," adds the NHS.

Original post:
Arthritis treatment: The natural extract shown to be as effective as a pain relief drug - Express

If you or someone you love has rheumatoid arthritis, youve probably thought about remission from rheumatoid arthritis more than once. As you likely know, rheumatoid arthritis is a very serious illness, and it can often be debilitating. So the concept of achieving remission can feel like a beacon of hope.

Today more than 1.3 million Americans are living with rheumatoid arthritis, and about 75 percent of them are women, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of autoimmune arthritis and causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints of the hands, feet, and wrists.

As a quick refresher: Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis arise when the bodys immune systemwhich typically keeps you healthy and defends against diseasestops working properly and mistakenly attacks healthy cells in your body, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. But with new advances in treatment options, it is possible to stop or slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis with the right treatment. In some cases, people are even able to achieve a state of remission where the joints arent seeing further damage and the disease doesnt interfere with day-to-day living. Heres what you need to know about achieving rheumatoid arthritis remission.

Rheumatoid arthritis remission is defined as very, very low disease activity, or no disease activity for a particular individual, Dana DiRenzo, M.D., rheumatologist and instructor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, tells SELF.

You dont need to be completely free of symptoms to be in a state of remission, Dr. DiRenzo explains, but you would rate how your joints are feeling somewhere around a 0 or 1 out of 10, where 10 indicates the most pain or discomfort and 0 is the least.

There is no definitive answer to how many people achieve remission from rheumatoid arthritis, but it may fall somewhere between 5% and 45%, according to a 2017 analysis of studies. Diagnosis and aggressive treatment early on in the course of the illness seems to be an important factor in achieving remission, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Remission can be achieved at any point, Dr. DiRenzo says, but its more likely with earlier treatment, especially within the first six to 12 months or so after diagnosis.

While there isnt one specific test that can show when someone is in remission, a rheumatologist can determine if youre in remission by evaluating your reported symptoms along with a number of clinical signs and symptoms. In the process, theyll often use a scoring guide such as the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) or the Disease Activity Score (DAS / DAS28). These scoring guides bring together different criteria and test results to measure disease activity for each patient in order to indicate how active the disease is at a specific point in time.

So this way we have an idea of whos doing really well and whos having a lot of disease activity, Fotios Koumpouras, M.D., rheumatologist, assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, and director of the Yale Lupus Program, tells SELF.

Being in remission doesnt look exactly the same for everyone, but if youre in remission youll experience very minimal joint symptoms or none at all, and your joint symptoms wont interfere with your day-to-day life in any way.

Typically, a combination of medication and lifestyle changes are needed in order to achieve remission, but the exact requirements for achieving remission wont be the same from person to person.

Read more:
What Does It Mean to Be in Remission from Rheumatoid Arthritis? - Self

News > Clinical Daily News

Early, intensive treatment that combines methotrexate with prednisone can reduce the debilitating fatigue tied to rheumatoid arthritis even in patients at low risk of severe disease, finds a two-year study.

Rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic inflammation that can lead to weakness, exhaustion, and abnormal tiredness in up to 90% of patients, explained researchers from Belgium. Their study examined whether intensive treatment directly after diagnosis could change the disease course and reduce fatigue.

The investigators followed 80 patients with a low risk profile who were randomized into two groups. Immediately following diagnosis, participants received either 15 mg of methotrexate weekly or a combination therapy of 15 mg of methotrexate weekly plus cortisone (prednisone), starting at 30 mg and tapered weekly to 5mg. Both methotrexate and prednisone suppress inflammation, but prednisone is a quicker-acting anti-inflammatory and researchers used it as a bridge between initial treatment and the time the methotrexate took to be effective.

While disease activity in both groups was comparable over time, patients who received the intensive combination therapy for two years were less tired than patients in the monotherapy control group. Differing fatigue levels between the groups became more pronounced over time, the researchers reported.

In response, the European League Against Rheumatism has recommended that clinicians consider initiating early, intensive treatment, even in low-risk patients.

The study was published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

Please login or register first to view this content.

LoginRegister

Next post in Clinical Daily NewsClose

Read more:
Early drug therapy eases exhaustion in rheumatoid arthritis patients: study - Clinical Daily News - McKnight's Long Term Care News

Objective:To investigate the association between allergic rhinitis (AR) and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods:Potentially eligible studies were identified from MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from inception to November 2019. Eligible cohort study must report relative risk with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of incident RA between AR patients and comparators. Eligible case-control studies must include cases with RA and controls without RA, and must explore their history of AR. Odds ratio with 95% CIs of the association between AR and RA must be reported. Point estimates with standard errors from each study were combined using the generic inverse variance method.

Results:A total of 21,824 articles were identified. After two rounds of the independent review by three investigators, two cohort studies and 10 case-control studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled analysis showed no association between AR and risk of RA (RR = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.20; I2= 84%). However, when we conducted a sensitivity analysis including only studies with acceptable quality, defined as Newcastle-Ottawa score of seven or higher, we found that patients with AR had a significantly higher risk of RA (RR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.65; I2= 45%).

Conclusions:The current systematic review and meta-analysis could not reveal a significant association between AR and RA. However, when only studies with acceptable quality were included, a significantly higher risk of RA among patients with AR than individuals without AR was observed.

Keywords:allergic rhinitis; hay fever; meta-analysis; rheumatoid arthritis; systematic review.

See the original post here:
The Association Between Allergic Rhinitis and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - DocWire News

Plasma omega-3 levels, body mass index (BMI), and smoking history are predictors of treatment response in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to study data published in ACR Open Rheumatology. As such, modification of these lifestyle factors may be beneficial in improving treatment response in this population.

This study enrolled patients with recent-onset RA (disease duration <12 months) who were attending the Early Arthritis Clinic at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia. The researchers aimed to examine lifestyle factors as predictors for treatment response in early RA. Patients with prior exposure to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were excluded.

Enrollees received triple therapy with conventional synthetic DMARDs sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, and methotrexate. Every 3 to 6 weeks, patients returned to the study clinic for evaluation of treatment response. If disease response was subpar at any visit, therapeutic doses were adjusted. A subset of patients received fish oil supplementation in addition to study treatment. Disease activity was evaluated using the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The primary end points were achievement of remission (DAS28 2.6) or low disease activity (DAS28 3.2) at 1 year.

The study cohort comprised 300 patients, of whom 211 (70.3%) were women. Mean age at RA onset was 55.514.9 years, and median disease duration at enrollment was 16.0 weeks. Mean baseline DAS28 score was 5.41.3, suggesting high disease activity. Of 300 participants, 179 (57.6%) and 136 (43.7%) achieved DAS28 low disease activity and remission at 1 year, respectively.

In the total cohort, higher mean plasma EPA level was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of achieving DAS28 low disease activity (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; 95% CI, 1.12-1.45; P <.0001) and DAS28 remission (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08-1.36; P <.001) at 1 year. Separate logistic regression models were used to examine 2-way interactions involving BMI, sex, and plasma EPA, but no significant associations were found.

An interaction between smoking status and BMI was observed for the low disease activity outcome. Specifically, increased BMI was associated with lower odds of achieving DAS28 low disease activity among participants who reported current (OR, 0.803; 95% CI, 0.670-0.962; P =.017) and prior smoking (OR, 0.913; 95% CI, 0.842-0.991; P =.029). This association was not apparent among those who had never smoked. BMI alone was also modestly associated with RA remission (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.89-0.99; P =.034).

According to these results, increased omega-3 uptake and smoking cessation may benefit patients with early RA, and weight-loss treatment may also be beneficial, particularly for patients with a history of smoking. As study limitations, the investigators noted the lack of data on potential confounders, including socioeconomic status, physical activity, and medication adherence.

Reference

Brown Z, Metcalf R, Bednarz J, et al. Modifiable lifestyle factors associated with response to treatment in early rheumatoid arthritis [published online May 26, 2020]. ACR Open Rheumatol. doi:10.1002/acr2.11132

See more here:
Omega-3 Levels, Smoking, and BMI Associated With Treatment Response in Early RA - Rheumatology Advisor