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-- Agreement Extends to Additional Potential Indications for Filgotinib, Including Ulcerative Colitis, Crohns Disease and Psoriatic Arthritis --

FOSTER CITY, CA, USA & TOKYO, Japan I December 24, 2019 I Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) and Eisai Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) announced today that Gilead Sciences K.K. (Tokyo, Japan) and Eisai have entered into an agreement for the distribution and co-promotion of filgotinib, an investigational, oral, selective JAK1 inhibitor, in Japan, pending regulatory approval for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Through this collaboration, Gilead Japan will retain responsibility for manufacturing and marketing approval of filgotinib, while Eisai will be responsible for product distribution in Japan in RA and other potential future indications. The companies will jointly commercialize the medicine if approved.

Approximately 600,000 to 1 million people are living with RA across Japan, and despite available options, many still do not experience disease remission. In the global Phase 3 FINCH studies, filgotinib demonstrated durable efficacy and safety results across multiple RA patient populations, including in people with prior inadequate response to methotrexate treatment (MTX), those who were intolerant to one or more biologic treatments and those who were MTX treatment-nave.

We are very pleased to announce this important new partnership with Eisai, which brings together our complementary expertise and commitment in inflammation, to deliver this important new option to patients living with inflammatory diseases in Japan, said Luc Hermans, M.D., President and Representative Director, Gilead Japan.

We have extensive clinical development and commercialization experience spanning more than 20 years in RA and have established a solid RA franchise in Japan, said Hidenori Yabune, President of Eisai Japan, Senior Vice President of Eisai. With this agreement, we look forward to contributing more to patients living with RA by adding filgotinib to our product line-up.

Global studies investigating filgotinib in additional diseases are also underway, including the Phase 3 SELECTION trial in ulcerative colitis, the DIVERSITY Phase 3 trial in Crohns disease, the Phase 3 PENGUIN trials in psoriatic arthritis, as well as Phase 2 studies in uveitis and in small bowel and fistulizing Crohns disease.

Gilead and Galapagos NV (Mechelen, Belgium) have entered into a global collaboration for the development and commercialization of filgotinib in inflammatory indications. Filgotinib is an investigational drug whose efficacy and safety have not been established. Filgotinib is pending regulatory approval in Japan, Europe and the United States, based on global Phase 3 trials evaluating its efficacy and tolerability.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the companys website at http://www.gilead.com.

About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to address unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology. As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through our investment and participation in partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.

For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit http://www.eisai.com/.

SOURCE: Eisai

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Gilead and Eisai Enter Into Agreement in Japan for the Co-Promotion of the Investigational Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy Filgotinib, Pending Regulatory...

Adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are more satisfied with biological medicines than with synthetic therapies such as methotrexate, a study based on patient questionnaires suggests.

Nonetheless, less than half of these patients took these medications as recommended.

The study, Treatment Satisfaction with and Adherence to DiseaseModifying Antirheumatic Drugs in Adult Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, was published in Arthritis Care & Research.

DMARDs are one class ofmedications currently used to treat JIA, and include both synthetic (chemical compound) medicines, such as methotrexate, and biological therapies.

Following prescribed treatment regimens as recommended (adherence) is a key requirement for clinical benefit. However, studies have found that just over half of rheumatoid arthritis patients comply with treatment regimens.

Such research in JIA has focused on children, but as40-60% of patients continue to experience symptoms into adulthood, a better understanding of the adherence to DMARDs in adults with this disorder is needed.

A team in Norway contacted adults with JIA, who as children had participated in a three-year study. From a total of 196 eligible patients, 96 (mean age of 25.1) agreed to participate.

The researchers collected information about medication use, and patients were given a series of questionnaires, which included a patient reports of active joint swelling.

Satisfaction with treatment was measured using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM), which evaluates effectiveness, side effects, convenience, and overall satisfaction. In turn, medication adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), where 8 is high adherence and below 6 is low adherence.

Physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was determined with the Short-Form Health Survey version 2, physical disability with the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, pain with the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form, and symptoms of psychological distress with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist.

Nineteen years after their diagnoses, 52 patients (54%) used synthetic DMARDs and/or biological DMARDs. Biological DMARDs were used by 37 patients (39%), either alone or in combination with methotrexate or sulfasalazine. Twenty-eight patients used methotrexate exclusively or in combination with biological DMARDs and sulfasalazine, while two patients used sulfasalazine alone.

Those using biological DMARDs alone reported significantly higher satisfaction with the medication related to effectiveness and overall satisfaction compared to those taking methotrexate. Participants using combination therapy also reported significantly higher satisfaction using biological DMARDs over methotrexate, based on side effects and overall satisfaction.

Lower satisfaction with medications was linked to pain intensity, physical disability, psychological distress, and active joints. Higher satisfaction related to effectiveness was strongly associated with a higher physical HRQOL, while overall satisfaction was linked with better physical and mental HRQOL.

The study also found that 46% of the patients reported low adherence to DMARDs, while 29% reported medium adherence, and 25% had high adherence.

Adherence to treatment was independent of age, gender, disease duration and course, active joints, effectiveness, side effects, and overall satisfaction. Treatment convenience was the only factor significantly linked to medication adherence.

In conclusion, JIA patients medication satisfaction was higher with bDMARDs [biological DMARDs] than MTX [methotrexate] 19 years after disease onset, the researchers wrote.

Knowledge and incorporation of patients experience with medication is important in order to promote patient centered care and achieve the best possible HRQOL, they added.

Total Posts: 11

Jos is a science news writer with a PhD in Neuroscience from Universidade of Porto, in Portugal. He has also studied Biochemistry at Universidade do Porto and was a postdoctoral associate at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York, and at The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. His work has ranged from the association of central cardiovascular and pain control to the neurobiological basis of hypertension, and the molecular pathways driving Alzheimers disease.

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Adults with JIA Satisfied with Biologics But Often Fail to Adhere to Therapy, Study Finds - Juvenile Arthritis News

As I searched online for Christmas presents for my loved ones recently, I browsed selections of pre-made gift kits. Many of them were bath or skin care based. I saw adorable bubble bath sets for children, makeup and nail kits, and baskets of soaps and creams marketed to young men and women.

Skin care products can make lovely gifts. I bought a unicorn tumbler full of bath bombs for my young cousin. But as I shopped, I thought about how I wouldnt buy gifts like these for myself. As someone withjuvenile-onset psoriatic arthritis, I would worry that they might flare my skin. I realized many of these gifts wouldnt be suitable for kids or young adults with juvenile rheumatic conditions.

Additionally, conditions such as systemic arthritis, dermatomyositis, scleroderma, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus can cause rashes, lesions, and other skin issues, which can be further irritated by skin care products.

Those with skin conditions cant usually tolerate the ingredients used in pre-made bath sets and makeup kits. Items such as bath bombs are not recommended for those with particular skin conditions. Other products may be drying and irritating to those with sensitive or inflamed skin.

But that doesnt mean you have to avoid giving pampering gifts altogether. Many kids with juvenile arthritis benefit from the soothing effects of a warm bathand the confidence boost of wearing makeup. Instead, when choosing a gift, consider the products quality.

If youre thinking of giving soaps, makeup, and lotions as gifts dont be afraid to ask the childs parents which products they use. And stick to those brands. Dont be misled by product labels containing words like natural, healing, or even psoriasis-friendly. While the claims might be valid, its best to stick to products that the family already trusts the brands they use are likely either doctor recommended or theyve discovered them after much trial and error.

Quality is essential for those living with chronic skin conditions. Dont be surprised if the products and brands that the person uses are a little expensive. You dont need to break your budget, but remember that its better to choose quality over quantity. A trusted eye shadow palette with one or two colors is worth much more than another with multiple shades that may irritate the skin.

You might also consider gifting skin care accessories such as makeup brushes or sponges, or a cosmetic bag to keep products in.

You could put together a custom-made bath kit. For younger kids, a bath caddy filled with bath toys and crayons, a hooded towel, a brush and comb, and fun, colored puffs. Older kids and teens might prefer bathrobes, slippers, eye pillows, spa socks, and candles or essential oils. I like this idea because you can pick and choose each item and customize it to the recipient.

Ive received lots of bath and beauty products in the past. Many of them came from my parents, who knew how careful I needed to be with skin products. Im always extremely appreciative of the lotions, makeup, and perfumes they gift, particularly as they can be pricey.

Sometimes Ive received products that I didnt feel comfortable using. But I accepted them with a smile and a genuine thank you. Im grateful for the gift of someone thinking of me, taking the time to buy me a gift, and wrap it up.

***

Note: Juvenile Arthritis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Juvenile Arthritis News, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to juvenile arthritis.

Elizabeth Medeiros is a young adult who has dealt with juvenile arthritis since she was a small child. However, her pain hasnt stopped her from working on a product design degree in Boston. Her passion is to create products that make life easier for the chronically ill, such as shoes and walking canes. When shes not in class, Elizabeth enjoys writing about how shes coped with arthritis at such a young age. You can find more of her writings at ArthritisGirl.Blogspot.com and on Instagram @GirlWithArthritis.

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Think Twice When Choosing Skin Care Products as Gifts for Kids with JA - Juvenile Arthritis News

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The global glucosamine market is expected to grow by USD 229.19 million during 2020-2024, according to the latest market research report by Technavio, progressing at a CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast period. The market is driven by factors such as increasing use of combination therapy, popularity of e-commerce in the healthcare industry, and rising geriatric population. Request a free sample report

The market research report segments the glucosamine market by application (arthritis and other applications) and geography (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW).

https://www.technavio.com/report/glucosamine-market-industry-analysis

Glucosamine Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024)

Glucosamine finds a large number of applications in the arthritis segment. The market is witnessing a shift toward the use of nutrachemicals and dietary supplements such as glucosamine to treat arthritis without side effects. Globally, the geriatric population is increasing significantly, leading to a prevalence of arthritis as the cartilage is more susceptible to wear with age. These factors are boosting the growth opportunities for market participants in the arthritis segment.

Glucosamine Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024)

North American region led the market in 2019, followed by Europe, Asia, and ROW, respectively. During the forecast period, the North American region will continue to dominate as the largest market for glucosamine. This is due to the increasing sales of OTC glucosamine products and the rising prevalence of joint-related indications such as osteoarthritis. The expansion of the geriatric population in the region is also contributing to the growth of the glucosamine market.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Major Five Genetic Testing Companies:

Blackmores Ltd., Cargill Inc., Ethical Naturals Inc., GNC Holdings Inc., and Herbs Nutriproducts Pvt. Ltd. are among the vendors who have a strong position in the global market.

Blackmores Ltd.

Blackmores Ltd. operates the business across segments such as Australia and New Zealand, China, Other Asia, and BioCeuticals Group. Glucosamine + Fish Oil, Glucosamine Sulfate 1500 One-A-Day, Glucosamine Sulfate Complex 1000, Joint Formula Advanced, Joint Formula with Glucosamine & Chondroitin, and Vegetarian Glucosamine Sulfate Complete 1000 are some of the key offerings of the company.

Cargill Inc.

Cargill Inc. operates the business across segments such as Animal nutrition and protein, Animal nutrition and protein, Food ingredients and applications, Origination and processing, and Industrial and financial services. Regenasure is one of the key offerings of the company. It is glucosamine hydrochloride synthesized from corn. It is available in the form of a granular powder and is certified for Kosher Pareve, Kosher for Passover, and Halal use.

Ethical Naturals Inc.

Ethical Naturals Inc. operates the business through its Unified business segment. GreenGrown, which is glucosamine hydrochloride synthesized from vegetarian sources, is one of the key offerings of the company. It is available in the form of granular powder and can be used for improving joint health.

GNC Holdings Inc.

GNC Holdings Inc. operates the business across segments such as the US and Canada, International, and Manufacturing / Wholesale. GNC GLUCOSAMINE 1000 MG, GNC MSM-GLUCOSAMINE, GNC GLUCOSAMINE SULFATE 500 MG, DOCTOR'S BEST, and GNC TRIPLE STRENGTH GLUCOSAMINE CHONDROITIN are some of the key offerings of the company.

Herbs Nutriproducts Pvt. Ltd.

Herbs Nutriproducts Pvt. Ltd. operates the business across segments such as Natural infusion tea, Cold pressed oils, Functional foods, Vitamins and supplements, and Beauty. Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex with Herbal Extracts is one of the key offerings of the company. It is a combination of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin available in the form of tablets.

Technavio provides a free sample report which contains multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavios report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavios comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Global Glucosamine Market 2020-2024 | Evolving Opportunities with Blackmores Ltd. and Cargill Inc. | Technavio - Business Wire

INTRODUCTION:

The Methotrexate Intolerance Severity Score (MISS) questionnaire is used to identify intolerance to methotrexate (MTX), but it is not available in the Brazilian Portuguese language.

The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the MISS in Brazilian Portuguese.

The Brazilian Portuguese version of the MISS was developed following the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-cultural Adaptation of Self-report Measures. The new version was tested in 120 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. For the reliability assessment, the Cronbach coefficient was used. The receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed with the objective of finding the best cutoff point for MTX intolerance and weighing the sensitivity and specificity. The concordance among the results was analyzed using the coefficient and factorial analysis with varimax rotation.

This methodological study developed and applied a culturally acceptable Brazilian Portuguese version of the MISS. The MISS questionnaire presented internal consistency classified as very good because Cronbach is equal to 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.87). The suitability of the data for factorial analysis was demonstrated using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sample adequacy test (KMO = 0.723) and Bartlett sphericity test ( = 499.98, p < 0.001). It was observed that a factorial analysis with 3 factors is preferred; the receiver operating characteristic curve of the MISS score was considered the cutoff point at 6 points (sensitivity 100% and specificity 89.4%).

The Brazilian Portuguese version of the MISS is valid and reliable for the detection of MTX intolerance in clinical practice.

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Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Methotrexate Intolerance Severity Score in Brazilian Portuguese for Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis -...

(Reuters Health) - Young adults who have had knee injuries are much more likely than uninjured peers to develop arthritis in the knee by middle age, especially if they have broken bones or torn connective tissue, a recent study suggests.

Researchers followed almost 150,000 adults ages 25 to 34, including about 5,200 with a history of knee injuries, for almost two decades. Compared to people who never had knee injuries, those who did were nearly six times as likely to develop knee osteoarthritis during the first 11 years of follow-up, with more than triple the risk over the next eight years.

Injuries that occur inside the knee joint, for example in the meniscus or cruciate ligament, may alter the biomechanical loading patterns in the knee, said study leader Barbara Snoeker, of Lund University in Sweden.

Such injuries may lead to an imbalance in force transmissions inside the knee joint, consequently overloading the joint cartilage and leading to increased risk of developing osteoarthritis, compared to injuries that mainly affect the outside of the knee joint, such as contusions, Snoeker said by email.

Osteoarthritis often affects the large weight-bearing joints and can eventually lead to the need for total joint replacement, the researchers note in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Known risk factors include being overweight, older, female or having a job that puts a lot of stress on the joints, the study team notes. While a history of knee injuries is also a known risk factor, research to date hasnt offered a clear picture of whether certain types of injuries might be more likely to lead to osteoarthritis.

Two-thirds of the people in the study with knee injuries were male. After 19 years of follow-up, 422 people with knee injuries, or 11.3%, developed knee osteoarthritis. So did 2,854, or 4%, of people without knee injuries.

Most often, injuries involved multiple structures of the knee; this accounted for 21% of participant knee injuries. The second most common type of injury was cuts and contusions, at 18%, followed by cartilage or other tissue tears at 17%.

Cruciate ligament injuries, or damage to the tissue connecting the thighbone to the shinbone, were associated with a 19.6% greater risk of knee osteoarthritis, the study also found. Meniscal tears, or damage to cartilage connecting the same two bones, were associated with a 10.5% greater risk of osteoarthritis. Fractures of the shinbone where it meets the knee, or of the kneecap, were associated with a 6.6% greater risk.

Injuries involving multiple structures in the knee may have been underreported, leading researchers to underestimate the risk associated with these types of injuries, Jonas Bloch Thorlund, a professor of musculoskeletal health at the University of Southern Denmark, in Odense, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email.

Another limitation is that researchers didnt look at patients body mass index (BMI), so they couldnt tell whether differences in weight might explain patients risk of osteoarthritis, said Dr. Kyle Hammond of the Emory Sports Medicine Center in Atlanta.

What happens after knee injuries can also influence the risk of osteoarthritis down the line, Hammond, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email.

Counseling a patient on how to safely and consistently return to a positive fitness program ensures that they will maintain flexibility and strength, as well as keeping their weight at their ideal body weight, Hammond advised.

Rehab matters regardless of what other treatments patients receive, said Adam Culvenor, a sports and exercise medicine researcher at La Trobe University in Bundoora, Australia, who wasnt involved in the study.

Once these injuries occur, optimally managing them with an intense and progressive period of rehabilitation under the guidance of a physical therapist (irrespective of the decision to have surgery or not) to strengthen the muscles around the knee to facilitate a return to function and physical activity is likely to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and persistent symptoms longer-term, Culvenor said by email.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2MhjRto British Journal of Sports Medicine, online December 11, 2019.

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Knee injuries in early adulthood may hasten arthritis - Reuters

FRUITA,Co.(KKCO)-- Dr.Rooks rheumatologist from the Arthritis Center of Western Colorado at Family Health West stopped by and discussed the difference between Spondyloarthritis and Inflammatory arthritis.

Doctors see a lot of patients with Spondyloarthritis on the Western slope especially among young adults.

Symptoms of Spondyloarthritis are stiffness when you wake up, and inflammation in the spine, hips, and knees.

Inflammatory arthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Symptoms include new joint or tendon pain, swelling, stiffness that lasts more than an hour in the morning without prior injury.

Inflammatory arthritis is actually a systemic disease of the immune system that, if not treated appropriately, can lead to joint and tendon damage, deformities, and contribute to heart attacks, strokes, and more.

If you have more questions on arthritis visit their website http://www.ac-wc.com.

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Family Health West's Dr.Rook Discusses Spondyloarthritis and Inflammatory Arthritis - KKCO-TV

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex disease that may require treatment with one or several disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Many DMARDs have potential teratogenic effects or are newer agents with limited safety data in pregnancy. This study evaluated 20 common RA medications and the rate of contraceptive prescribing and counseling patterns in women with RA of childbearing ability.

This was an observational study of women with RA and childbearing ability aged 18 to 44 years who were seen at an academic rheumatology clinic from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2016. Descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression were used for analysis.

One hundred fifty women were included in the analysis. The majority of patients were taking methotrexate (55.3%), followed by chronic prednisone (31.3%) and hydroxychloroquine (28.7%). A documented method of contraception was noted in 64/150 (42.7%). For women on contraception, most used combined oral contraceptives (31/64, 48.4%) or levonorgestrel intrauterine device (10/64, 15.6%). Of the 86 patients not on contraception, 19 (22.1%) received counseling regarding a pregnancy plan.

Most women with RA of childbearing age and ability were not using contraception. Among these patients, only a minority prescribed DMARD therapy had documented pregnancy or contraceptive counseling. Women with RA who were prescribed with a DMARD should discuss the use of effective contraception with their provider if sexually active and not desiring pregnancy or wanting to avoid potential teratogenic effects. Potential strategies are discussed to improve healthcare delivery to this population in hopes of avoiding unintended pregnancy and potential teratogenic effects of RA medications.

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Contraceptive Use in Women of Childbearing Ability With Rheumatoid Arthritis - DocWire News

It took 16 years after Ethan Nelsons arthritis diagnosis until he met someone who shared his condition.

There is definitely this generation where if you get diagnosed, you are alone, Nelson said. You dont have anyone.

Nelson, now 22 years old and a junior at Brigham Young University, was diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis when he was 4 years old. He spent the last two years volunteering for arthritis-related causes and helping to build a network of young adults who share the same condition.

He was honored Dec. 7 in Salt Lake City at the Jingle Bell Run, a 5K that benefits the Arthritis Foundation.

The run honored six people, which also included Kendall Pogue, who is also a BYU student, and Spencer Hood, who, along with Nelson, had tried to connect young adults with arthritis.

Hood first connected Nelson with the Jingle Bell Run two years ago. This year, Nelson led a team and raised $530 of his groups $810 total.

He is a really great guy, said Debbie Jordan, the executive director of the Arthritis Foundation of Utah. You have to think about what it is like for a college kid to get up at 4 a.m. in the morning and help us out.

Jordan said the honorees are volunteers who have done more than the average for the foundation. She said theres typically about 40 BYU students who come to help out at the run.

The young adult volunteers, she said, show children with arthritis that they can still achieve their goals.

I think it gives them a lot of hope, Jordan said.

Its not the first time Nelson has been involved with raising awareness and funding for arthritis. He was the literal poster boy for the National Arthritis Foundation when he was about 5 years old, showing the effects that his treatment at the time, the steroid prednisone, has on the body.

Since then, hes had two hip replacements one when he was 13, the other at 16 and had surgery on his ankle.

He was on the tail end of a generation that exclusively used prednisone, which has been mostly replaced with biologic treatments and IV infusions for young patients. The last two years have been rough as he tried to find a medicine his body responded well to. After trying five different treatments, hes doing well again.

I feel like 100% normal, Nelson said. I can walk without pain.

Hes volunteered at Camp Kids Out to Defeat Arthritis, also known as Camp KODA. While there, he advocates for campers to become independent in order to prevent flare ups and joint damage.

I know these kids very personally now and I dont want my mistakes to rub off on them in the future, Nelson said. So it is like, dont let your arthritis hold you back, dont take advantage of it and stay on top of things.

The Arthritis Foundation estimates that one in four adults have arthritis, which includes 400,000 adults and 3,000 children in Utah.

Nelson said that while someone in their 20s is just as likely to be diagnosed as someone who is 60, young adults often dont talk about having arthritis.

It is so much easier to conceal, to hide, than cancer, and so I feel like people have the opportunity to hide it and so they do from others because they dont want to feel like the odd one out, he said.

While he feels the Arthritis Foundation does well with reaching young children and older adults, Nelson said young adults can be left out. He and Hood are trying to find more young adults who have arthritis for their group, Utah YA Champions. Nelson is also working to create a student association at BYU for students with arthritis.

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BYU student connecting 'lost generation' honored by Arthritis Foundation - Daily Herald

Lets start with what to eat and the foods to avoid eating. What follows will likely sound familiar to aficionados of a Mediterranean-style diet: a plant-based diet focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and cold-water fish and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

A Mediterranean-style diet is rich in micronutrients like magnesium, vitamin E and selenium that have anti-inflammatory effects, and its high-fiber content fosters lower levels of two potent inflammatory substances, IL-6 and TNF-alpha.

Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, strongly recommends limiting or eliminating consumption of foods known to have a pro-inflammatory effect. These include all refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and pastries; sugar-sweetened beverages; deep-fried foods; and red meat and processed meats. They are the very same foods with well-established links to obesity (itself a risk factor for inflammation), heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

In their stead, Dr. Hu recommends frequent consumption of foods known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. They include green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collards; fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines; fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, oranges and cherries; nuts like almonds and walnuts; and olive oil. The recommended plant foods contain natural antioxidants and polyphenols, and the fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, all of which counter inflammation.

Coffee and tea also contain protective polyphenols, among other anti-inflammatory compounds.

The bottom line: the less processed your diet, the better.

At the same time, dont neglect regular exercise, which Dr. James Gray, cardiologist at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, calls an excellent way to prevent inflammation. He recommends 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 10 to 25 minutes of weight or resistance training at least four to five times a week.

Although exercise is pro-inflammatory while youre doing it, during the rest of the time it leaves you better off by reducing inflammation, and after all you live most of your life not exercising, Stephen Kritchevsky, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, told me. Independent of any effect on weight, exercise has been shown to lower multiple pro-inflammatory molecules and cytokines.

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Tackling Inflammation to Fight Age-Related Ailments - The New York Times

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Dec. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a research-based global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the European Commission (EC) hasapproved RINVOQ (upadacitinib) for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).6 RINVOQ is a once-daily selective and reversible JAK inhibitor and may be used as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate (MTX).

"We are proud to offer this once-daily tablet as a new treatment option for patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis," said Michael Severino, M.D., vice chairman and president, AbbVie. "As a company that has been dedicated to discovering and delivering transformative therapies for people living with rheumatic diseases for nearly two decades, RINVOQ expands our portfolio of treatment options for people living with this disease in Europe."

The EC approval of RINVOQ was supported by data from the global Phase 3 SELECT rheumatoid arthritis program, which evaluated nearly 4,400 patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in five pivotal studies: SELECT-NEXT, SELECT-BEYOND, SELECT-MONOTHERAPY, SELECT-COMPARE and SELECT-EARLY.1-5 The studies include assessments of efficacy, safety and tolerability across a variety of patients, including those who failed or were intolerant to biologic DMARDs and who were nave or inadequate responders (IR) to MTX.1-5

"Nearly 3 million people in Europe are living with rheumatoid arthritis, the majority of whom don't reach remission and may be suffering from pain, fatigue, morning joint stiffness and flares," said Professor Ronald van Vollenhoven, M.D., Ph.D., Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. "As seen in this large Phase 3 clinical trial program in rheumatoid arthritis, upadacitinib has the potential to significantly improve signs and symptoms of the disease and help more patients achieve remission or low disease activity."

Highlights From the Phase 3 SELECT Rheumatoid Arthritis Program

Across the SELECT Phase 3 studies, RINVOQ met all primary and ranked secondary endpoints.1-6 Overall, both low disease activity (assessed by DAS28-CRP3.2) and clinical remission rates (assessed by DAS28-CRP<2.6) were consistent across patient populations, with or without MTX.1-6

Highlights included:

More information on these trials can be found at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02706847, NCT03086343, NCT02629159, NCT02706873, NCT02706951).

Earlier this year, RINVOQ received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to MTX.9

About RINVOQ (upadacitinib) in the European Union6

RINVOQ (upadacitinib) is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). RINVOQ may be used as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate.

Important EU Safety Information6

RINVOQ is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to the active substance or to any of the excipients, in patients with active tuberculosis (TB) or active serious infections, in patients with severe hepatic impairment, and during pregnancy.

Use in combination with other potent immunosuppressants is not recommended.

Serious and sometimes fatal infections have been reported in patients receiving upadacitinib. The most frequent serious infections reported included pneumonia and cellulitis. Cases of bacterial meningitis have been reported. Among opportunistic infections, TB, multidermatomal herpes zoster, oral/oesophageal candidiasis, and cryptococcosis have been reported with upadacitinib. Prior to initiating upadacitinib, consider the risks and benefits of treatment in patients with chronic or recurrent infection or with a history of a serious or opportunistic infection, in patients who have been exposed to TB or have resided or travelled in areas of endemic TB or endemic mycoses, and in patients with underlying conditions that may predispose them to infection. Upadacitinib therapy should be interrupted if a patient develops a serious or opportunistic infection. As there is a higher incidence of infections in patients 75 years of age, caution should be used when treating this population.

Patients should be screened for TB before starting upadacitinib therapy. Anti-TB therapy should be considered prior to initiation of upadacitinib in patients with previously untreated latent TB or in patients with risk factors for TB infection.

Viral reactivation, including cases of herpes zoster, were reported in clinical studies. Consider interruption of therapy if a patient develops herpes zoster until the episode resolves. Screening for viral hepatitis and monitoring for reactivation should be performed before starting and during therapy with upadacitinib.

The use of live, attenuated vaccines during, or immediately prior to therapy is not recommended. It is recommended that patients be brought up to date with all immunizations, including prophylactic zoster vaccinations, prior to initiating upadacitinib, in agreement with current immunization guidelines.

The risk of malignancies, including lymphoma is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Immunomodulatory medicinal products may increase the risk of malignancies, including lymphoma. The clinical data are currently limited and long-term studies are ongoing. Malignancies, including non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), have been reported in patients treated with upadacitinib. Consider the risks and benefits of upadacitinib treatment prior to initiating therapy in patients with a known malignancy other than a successfully treated NMSC or when considering continuing upadacitinib therapy in patients who develop a malignancy.Periodic skin examination is recommended for patients who are at increased risk for skin cancer.

Absolute neutrophil count <1000 cells/mm3, absolute lymphocyte count <500cells/mm3, or haemoglobin levels <8g/dL were reported in <1% of patients in clinical trials. Treatment should not be initiated, or should be temporarily interrupted, in patients with these haematological abnormalities observed during routine patient management.

RA patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular disorders. Patients treated with upadacitinib should have risk factors (e.g., hypertension, hyperlipidaemia) managed as part of usual standard of care.

Upadacitinib treatment was associated with increases in lipid parameters, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The effect of these lipid parameter elevations on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.

Treatment with upadacitinib was associated with an increased incidence of liver enzyme elevation compared to placebo. If increases in ALT or AST are observed during routine patient management and drug-induced liver injury is suspected, upadacitinib therapy should be interrupted until this diagnosis is excluded.

Events of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported in patients receiving JAK inhibitors, including upadacitinib. Upadacitinib should be used with caution in patients at high risk for DVT/PE. Risk factors that should be considered in determining the patient's risk for DVT/PE include older age, obesity, a medical history of DVT/PE, patients undergoing major surgery, and prolonged immobilisation. If clinical features of DVT/PE occur, upadacitinib treatment should be discontinued and patients should be evaluated promptly, followed by appropriate treatment.

The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions are upper respiratory tract infections (13.5%), nausea (3.5%), increased blood creatine phosphokinase (2.5%), and cough (2.2%). The most common serious adverse reactions were serious infections.

Please see the full SmPC for complete prescribing information at http://www.EMA.europa.eu.Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information

About HUMIRA in the European Union10

HUMIRA, in combination with methotrexate, is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe, active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients when the response to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, including methotrexate, has been inadequate.

Important EU Safety Information10

HUMIRA is contraindicated in patients with active tuberculosis or other severe infections such as sepsis, and opportunistic infections and in patients with moderate to severe heart failure (NYHA class III/IV). It is also contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to the active substance or to any of the excipients; serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis have been reported. The use of HUMIRA increases the risk of developing serious infections which may, in rare cases, be life-threatening. Rare cases of lymphoma and leukemia have been reported in patients treated with HUMIRA. On rare occasions, a severe type of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma has been observed and often results in death. A risk for the development of malignancies in patients treated with TNF-antagonists cannot be excluded. Rare cases of pancytopenia, aplastic anaemia, demyelinating disease, lupus, lupus-related conditions and Stevens-Johnson syndrome have been reported in patients treated with HUMIRA. The most frequently reported adverse events across all indications included respiratory infections, injection site reactions, headache and musculoskeletal pain.

Please see the full SmPC for complete prescribing information at http://www.ema.europa.eu. Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie

AbbVie is a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience.In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us atwww.abbvie.com. Follow@abbvieon Twitter,Facebook,LinkedInorInstagram.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition from other products, challenges to intellectual property, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

References

SOURCE AbbVie

abbvie.com

Link:
AbbVie Receives European Commission Approval of RINVOQ (upadacitinib) for the Treatment of Adults with Moderate to Severe Active Rheumatoid Arthritis...

Tens of thousands of people with conditions including arthritis, MS and psychosis have had their benefits cut or stopped after moving to a new Tory system.

Detailed statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the reality of the 650,000 former Disability Living Allowance claimants who've lost out since 2013.

This week the Mirror reported how 46% of former DLA claimants lost money after moving to new benefit Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

In total, of the 1.424million DLA claimants reassessed for PIP by October 2019, 306,000 (22%) had their benefit cut, 293,000 (21%) had it stopped after an assessment, 58,000 (4%) had it stopped before assessment and 9,000 (1%) withdrew their claim.

In contrast 556,000 claimants (39%) saw their award rise and 200,000 (14%) had it unchanged.

But the DWP's detailed figures give a fascinating insight that show the real people behind the numbers.

The worst-hit were people with psychosis, 87,824 of whom either failed a PIP assessment entirely or had their money cut since 2013. By comparison, 63,395 saw their payment rise.

Some 86,042 arthritis sufferers had their PIP cut or stopped when they moved from DLA - while 68,256 saw it go up.

Scroll down for the full list of disabilities and how they are hit.

Epilepsy sufferers were also badly hit, with 23,640 losing some or all of their benefits compared to 12,344 who received more.

And 10,247 people with MS, 2,188 with AIDS and 960 with cystic fibrosis saw their money either cut or stopped.

Since 2013, even 69 double amputees have had their money cut when moving from DLA to PIP - while 161 saw their award go up.

Some groups were better off on average. 6,533 blind people saw payments cut or stopped but 23,098 saw them rise.

Likewise 39,020 people with learning difficulties lost out but 86,567 were better off.

These figures only relate to claimants who were already on the old DLA system when they claimed PIP.

And they do not include people who lost their benefits before an assessment, failed to attend an appointment, or withdrew their claim.

MS sufferer Rachel Taylor, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, told the Mirror she lost her adapted Motability car for around a year after her benefits were cut moving from DLA to PIP.

The 50-year-old mother-of-one and librarian uses a zimmer frame, walking stick and mobility scooter to get around.

But despite claiming DLA since 2002 she said she was awarded the lower rates of PIP after a 2016 assessment.

She waited around a year until, weeks before her appeal tribunal, she said she received a phone call saying she'd get the higher rate after all.

She told the Mirror: "I ended up taking several thousand pounds out of my pension pot.

"The stress has been immeasurable.

"I take pride in what Im able still able to do. But I now believe I was penalised for trying to keep my independence.

Ms Taylor still works part-time but said "I couldn't be more disabled."

She added: The local bus goes from a mile away but I cant walk to the end of my driveway.

"Theres no hope for me walking to catch a bus. I have a son that I have to get to school."

The DWP said Ms Taylor received 3,000 in arrears and a 2,000 transition payment for the Motability scheme.

A DWP spokesman added: Ms Taylor was granted enhanced level mobility Personal Independence Payment as soon as further evidence became available and a back payment of almost 3,000 was paid in arrears.

The DWP figures were condemned by charities earlier this week. Geoff Firmister of the Disability Benefits Consortium, which represents more than 100 groups, said: "These figures are very worrying and we suspect many of the decisions are wrong."

James Taylor of disability equality charity Scope said the figures were "extremely worrying". He added: Consistently high levels of PIP decisions are being overturned, which demonstrates the assessment is not fit for purpose."

A DWP spokesman said: The Government now spends more than 55 billion every year to support disabled people, more than at any time under the DLA system; with more people benefitting from support through PIP than did under DLA.

Most people get PIP after being reassessed from DLA.

"More than half have their award maintained or increased, with 29% receiving the highest level of support compared to 16% under DLA.

Here are the figures from the government.NOTE: Conditions are exactly as listed by the DWP. Figures only include reassessments from DLA to PIP.

Psychosis - More money: 63395 Less: 37916 Nothing: 49908

Psychoneurosis - More money: 48376 Less: 15408 Nothing: 35587

Learning Difficulties - More money: 86567 Less: 6697 Nothing: 32323

Arthritis - More money: 68256 Less: 65438 Nothing: 20604

Epilepsy - More money: 12344 Less: 8403 Nothing: 15237

Disease Of The Muscles Bones or Joints - More money: 31677 Less: 18572 Nothing: 12543

Back Pain - Other / Precise Diagnosis not Specified - More money: 31193 Less: 33449 Nothing: 8925

Neurological Diseases - More money: 22151 Less: 11918 Nothing: 7647

Heart Disease - More money: 9907 Less: 8829 Nothing: 4893

Chronic Pain Syndromes - More money: 11483 Less: 11254 Nothing: 4552

Hyperkinetic Syndrome - More money: 3737 Less: 1606 Nothing: 4452

Blindness - More money: 23098 Less: 2234 Nothing: 4299

Trauma to Limbs - More money: 10401 Less: 6658 Nothing: 4288

Personality Disorder - More money: 4755 Less: 3802 Nothing: 4165

Malignant Disease - More money: 5226 Less: 5431 Nothing: 3832

Cerebrovascular Disease - More money: 15472 Less: 7819 Nothing: 3631

Diabetes Mellitus - More money: 4560 Less: 3063 Nothing: 3426

Deafness - More money: 8864 Less: 2553 Nothing: 3396

Spondylosis - More money: 10520 Less: 10339 Nothing: 3087

Behavioral Disorder - More money: 3863 Less: 978 Nothing: 2811

Chest Disease - More money: 11761 Less: 8095 Nothing: 2632

Alcohol and Drug Abuse - More money: 4746 Less: 1900 Nothing: 2563

Major Trauma Other than Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia - More money: 4646 Less: 1727 Nothing: 2362

Multiple Sclerosis - More money: 11647 Less: 7970 Nothing: 2277

Unknown/Transfer from AA - More money: 21484 Less: 2813 Nothing: 2099

Asthma - More money: 3693 Less: 2614 Nothing: 1476

Renal Disorders - More money: 1984 Less: 2160 Nothing: 1417

Inflammatory Bowel Disease - More money: 979 Less: 1385 Nothing: 1184

Bowel and Stomach Disease - More money: 1535 Less: 1592 Nothing: 1182

Peripheral vascular Disease - More money: 2783 Less: 1968 Nothing: 1142

Skin Disease - More money: 1388 Less: 1069 Nothing: 1116

AIDS - More money: 552 Less: 1211 Nothing: 977

Multi System Disorders - More money: 2091 Less: 2156 Nothing: 928

Metabolic Disease - More money: 1809 Less: 1928 Nothing: 664

Terminally Ill - More money: 74 Less: 1292 Nothing: 641

Cystic Fibrosis - More money: 723 Less: 358 Nothing: 602

Blood Disorders - More money: 521 Less: 645 Nothing: 490

Dementia - More money: 2722 Less: 204 Nothing: 332

Parkinsons Disease - More money: 2353 Less: 1093 Nothing: 238

Cognitive disorder - other / precise diagnosis not specified - More money: 480 Less: 103 Nothing: 223

Haemophilia - More money: 113 Less: 164 Nothing: 141

Severely Mentally impaired - More money: 91 Less: 260 Nothing: 96

Haemodialysis - More money: 101 Less: 73 Nothing: 78

Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia - More money: 1104 Less: 687 Nothing: 61

Multiple Allergy Syndrome - More money: 60 Less: 44 Nothing: 45

Motor Neurone Disease - More money: 227 Less: 107 Nothing: 40

Infectious diseases - other / precise diagnosis not specified - More money: 56 Less: 37 Nothing: 39

Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease - Tuberculosis - More money: 37 Less: 37 Nothing: 25

Total Parenteral Nutrition - More money: 17 Less: 11 Nothing: 12

Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease - precise diagnosis not specified - More money: 15 Less: 10 Nothing: 10

Frailty - More money: 52 Less: 42 Nothing: 8

Deaf/Blind - More money: 153 Less: 13 Nothing: 5

Double Amputee - More money: 161 Less: 69 Nothing: ..

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DWP: How thousands with arthritis, MS and psychosis have lost benefits under new system - Mirror Online

Osteoarthritis is a common and potentially debilitating condition. Its a degenerative joint disease (often called the wear-and-tear type) in which the smooth lining of cartilage becomes thinned and uneven, exposing the bone beneath.

Although osteoarthritis is tightly linked with aging, we now know there is more to it than age alone: genetics, weight, physical activity, and a number of other factors can conspire to make it more likely that someone will develop osteoarthritis while someone else wont. Osteoarthritis is the primary reason that more than a million joints (mostly hips and knees) are replaced each year in the US.

Treatments short of surgery can help but they dont always work well, dont cure the condition, and may be accompanied by side effects. Surgery is usually the last resort, reserved for people who have declining function, unrelenting pain, or both despite trying other treatments such as pain relieving, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, others) or naproxen (Aleve, others), or injections of steroids or hyaluronic acid (a type of lubricant). Nonmedication approaches can also help, such as loss of excess weight, physical therapy, or use of a cane or brace.

Steroid injections can quickly relieve inflammation in the joints, and the effects may last from several weeks to several months. Ive seen a number of patients who got significant relief from steroid injections every three or four months. But, a new report of one medical centers experience and a review of past research came to some concerning conclusions about joint injections for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. These included:

Other side effects include a temporary increase in blood sugar, bleeding into the joint, and, quite rarely, infection. And, of course, the injection itself can be painful, although numbing medication is usually provided.

The authors suggest that doctors order x-rays before each injection and not perform injections if there is evidence of any of these complications or unexplained pain. However, its not clear how effective this approach would be.

The findings of this report regarding injections of steroids for knee and hip osteoarthritis are disappointing, especially for those who have not improved with other treatments.

Regarding the benefit of the injections, its important to keep in mind that even if the average benefit of a treatment is small, it does not mean that treatment is useless. Though temporary, some people do report significant improvement with steroid injections.

Its also not entirely clear that the problems described in this study are actually caused by the steroid injections. And, from my own experience, the rates of complications seem high to me. That said, a 2017 study did find that people getting steroid injections had more thinning of joint cartilage than those getting placebo injections.

In my own practice, Ill still offer a steroid injection for osteoarthritis, but only after carefully reviewing the potential risks and benefits. If it is not terribly helpful, I would not encourage repeated injections. On the other hand, if it works well, a limited number of injections (up to three or four per year is a common limit) may reduce pain and improve function and quality of life.

Restricting the injections to those who improve the most and limiting the number of injections each year may be a better strategy than eliminating steroid injections altogether, especially since the most serious side effects are quite rare.

Well need additional studies that examine the type, dosage, and frequency of steroid injections that might provide more benefit than risk. And well need better ways to predict who will improve the most. Until then, I think its important to keep an open mind about just how helpful and how safe steroid injections for osteoarthritis truly are.

Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling

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A new look at steroid injections for knee and hip osteoarthritis - Harvard Health Blog - Harvard Health

With the help of Howell, weve put together some tips to help you deal with the holiday season.

Theres something about the holidays that makes us want to indulge a little, and rightly so. Its a time for fun, frivolity and enjoying quality time with good friends and good food. But, as tempting as it is, snacking on fruit mince pies or digging into a festive pudding is a big no-no.

Howell says arthritis sufferers should be really careful about what they eat during the festive period, adding that the types of food traditionally eaten at or associated with Christmas aggravate arthritis symptoms.

Every Christmas meal Ive ever had has been packed with ham, sausages, alcohol, chocolate, soft drink and bread, he says. Christmas lunches around Australia are full of sugar, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, gluten and alcohol all of which are an arthritis sufferers worst nightmare.

Howell adds poor food choices can cause painful arthritis flare-ups, and even more serious health issues in the long-term.

If youre visiting family or friends overseas during the Christmas break and take arthritis medication, make sure you have a doctors certificate with you, Howell advises. You dont want to be caught in a situation where you cant take your meds with you.

A change in weather or humidity can also affect arthritis. Plan ahead and ensure you dress appropriately for the trip.

Howells biggest piece of advice for arthritis sufferers is to stay positive during the Christmas period.

Arthritis may stop you from doing a lot of things at Christmas, he says. You may not be able to eat exactly what you want or be able to participate in the family backyard cricket tournament. But its important to stay positive, especially during Christmas!

Howell recommends talking with your loved ones and suggesting activities that everyone can join in on, such as board games or cards.

Important information: The information provided on this website is of a general nature and information purposes only. It does not take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. It is not personalised health advice and must not be relied upon as such. Before making any decisions about your health or changes to medication, diet and exercise routines you should determine whether the information is appropriate in terms of your particular circumstances and seek advice from a medical professional.

Link:
How to manage arthritis flare-ups during the holidays - Starts at 60

The "Pain Management Drugs Market - Forecasts from 2019 to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The pain management drugs market was valued at US$101.189 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 5.61% to reach a market size of US$140.371 billion by 2024.

The growing geriatric population suffering from pain related to joints and chronic diseases are driving the growth of the global pain management market in the forecast period. Other factors include the prevalence of chronic diseases, rising healthcare expenditures, an increase in the number of accidents and increasing surgical procedures. However, the availability of substitutes such as pain relief devices is hampering the growth of the global pain management drugs market in the forecast period.

Geographically, North America is expected to hold a significant market share owing to the highest health expenditure of the United States in addition to effective disease management owing to the prevalence of chronic diseases in this region.

Report Scope

This report is an exhaustive study that aims to present the key market trends through various chapters focusing on different aspects of the market. The study provides a detailed market overview through the market dynamics sections which detail key market, drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the current market. The report analyzes key opportunity regional markets, and the current technology penetration through lifecycle analysis. The report also analyzes the market through comprehensive market segmentation by drug type, by indication, and by geography.

The pain management drugs market has been segmented based on drug type, indication, and geography. Based on drug type, the market has been segmented into nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, acetaminophen, antidepressants, and anticonvulsant drugs. On the basis of indication, the market has been segmented into cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic back pain, post-operative pain, and others.

Regional analysis has been provided with detailed analysis and forecast for the period 2018 to 2024. The global market has been broken down into North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and the Asia Pacific regions. The report also analyzes 15 major countries across these regions with thorough analysis and forecast along with prevailing market trends and opportunities which each of these countries present for the manufacturers.

Major players in the pain management drugs market have been covered along with their relative competitive position and strategies. The report also mentions recent deals and investments of different market players over the last year. The company profiles section details the business overview, financial performance for the past three years, key products and services being offered along with the recent developments of these important players in the pain management drugs market.

Key Topics Covered

1. INTRODUCTION

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

2.1. Research Design

2.2. Secondary Sources

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1. Market Segmentation

4.2. Market Drivers

4.3. Market Restraints

4.4. Market Opportunities

4.5. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.5.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.5.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.5.3. Threat of New Entrants

4.5.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.5.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry

4.6. Life Cycle Analysis - Regional Snapshot

4.7. Market Attractiveness

5. PAIN MANAGEMENT DRUGS MARKET BY DRUG TYPE

5.1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

5.2. Corticosteroids

5.3. Acetaminophen

5.4. Antidepressants

5.5. Anticonvulsant drugs

6. PAIN MANAGEMENT DRUGS MARKET BY INDICATION

6.1. Cancer

6.2. Rheumatoid Arthritis

6.3. Chronic Back Pain

6.4. Post-Operative Pain

6.5. Others

7. PAIN MANAGEMENT DRUGS MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY

7.1. North America

7.1.1. USA

7.1.2. Canada

7.1.3. Mexico

7.2. South America

7.2.1. Brazil

7.2.2. Argentina

7.2.3. Others

7.3. Europe

7.3.1. Germany

7.3.2. United Kingdom

7.3.3. France

7.3.4. Spain

7.3.5. Others

7.4. Middle East and Africa

7.4.1. Saudi Arabia

7.4.2. Israel

7.4.3. Others

7.5. Asia Pacific

7.5.1. China

7.5.2. Japan

7.5.3. India

7.5.4. South Korea

7.5.5. Others

8. COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

8.1. Competitive Benchmarking and Analysis

8.2. Strategies of Key Players

Story continues

8.3. Recent Investments and Deals

9. COMPANY PROFILES

9.1. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

9.2. Eli Lilly and Company

9.3. Amgen Inc.

9.4. GlaxoSmithKline plc

9.5. AbbVie Inc.

9.6. Merck & Co., Inc.

9.7. Sanofi

9.8. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

9.9. Pfizer Inc.

9.10. Purdue Pharma L.P.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yq0q5w

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191223005511/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Analysis on the World's $140+ Billion Pain Management Drugs Market, 2019-2024 - Featuring Novartis, Eli Lilly, Amgen, GSK, AbbVie, and More -...

"When you become something on the internet and not something in real life," Clairo explains, "It's this very strange cognitive dissonance where you're like, 'Well, is something actually happening, or am I dreaming that people know who I am?' "

Clairo wasn't dreaming. She started college shortly after uploading a song called "Pretty Girl" to YouTube that same week, her bedroom music video reached a million views. Today, it has over 40 million views, and she's launched an entire music career from her viral success. She's appeared on late night television stages, played Coachella and is going on tour with Tame Impala in 2020. Clairo even produced her debut full-length album, Immunity, with a little help from Rostam Batmanglij.

We'll talk about how the former Vampire Weekend member reached out to Clairo on Instagram after hearing her 2017 song, "Flaming Hot Cheetos," how "Sinking" is a sexy song about rheumatoid arthritis ("Which is hilarious," she adds) and how she keeps up with her fans in relation to her rapidly rising profile. Hear the conversation in the player above, starting off with a live in-studio performance of "Bags."

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From 'Pretty Girl' To 'Immunity': Clairo On Her Rapid Rise : World Cafe - NPR

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The monthly joint mixer for the Coral Gables Bar Association and the Rotary Club of Coral Gables, held the second Wednesday of every month, had a twist in December.

That get together, held at Tapeo Eatery & Bar on Giralda, also served as a toy drive for three different organizations: the Marines Toys for Tots, Lighthouse for the Blind and the Coral Gables Free Childrens Dental Clinic for its holiday kids party. Among the many enjoying the event were RCCG president-elect Kelly Garces, Hadley Williams, Greg Martini, Walter Alvarez and Carol Brock.

Speaking of toy drives, Scott and Belinda Sime held their annual holiday party and toy drive, which is where many of the toys collected from the mixer were dropped off. The Simes party always is one that collects several hundred toys every year and is one of the best parties of the season for a cause. In addition to the Simes home. Toys were dropped off as Channel 10s Big Bus Toys for Tots caravan traveled the county with Jacey Birch and Eric Yutzy.

The Mitchell and West Family Fun 5K was one of many events held in front of Coral Gables City Hall on a picture perfect day. PJ Mitchell and Spencer West started this event years ago to raise funds for Alzheimers and now support various causes. This year the Coral Gables Womans Club Children Dental Clinic. The women of this club are everywhere and were among the many hundreds dressed in Santa and holiday attire who ran to support the Arthritis Foundation the morning of Dec. 8 at The Falls. The is the longest-running, holiday-themed 5K race series anywhere and it is no wonder why. It is hilarious. Two of the funniest were Eric Bradley and Phong Truong with their antler headpieces and colorful tutus.

CGWC had raised $1,000 for the Run at a Gringo Bongo fundraiser to match the annual $1,000 donation for a total gift of $2,000 that they presented at the race.

Representing the club that morning with this writer were board member Donna Myrill and dental clinic director Dr. Iris Torres. Club president Arely Ruiz also was on hand to emcee the event for the Foundations outgoing eecutive director and CGWC member Lisa Boccia.

The Arthritis Foundation is one close to the heart of this womans club whose past president Mireya Kilmon has been a spokesperson for the organization and has suffered with arthritis for years.

Speaking of events, Coral Gables Womans Club had two fundraisers just days before that weekend on Dec. 3, the club coordinated its monthly Gringo Bingo hosted by Clutch Burger to raise funds for the Junior Orange Bowl Festival and then two days later had a Prohibition Repeal Speakeasy Party at their clubhouse to benefit the Coral Gables Childrens Dental Clinic that serves currently 600 children of the working poor.

The Junior Orange Bowl, whose numerous events showcase our youth, and the Womans Clubs Dental Clinic and its Childrens Festival both serve our young people in their own unique ways. It was especially fun to have the JOBCs Youth Ambassadors and Jobie at Gringo Bingo to promote the festival and the JOBC Parade held Dec. 15.

Speaking of the JOBC, the festivals annual Junior Orange Bowl Parade was one of the best in years with a new date that certainly made it easier for visiting and local bands to participate. Coming off that event, the committee goes right into the JOBCs International Tennis Tournament (Dec. 14-23); the Junior Orange Bowls annual National Basketball Classic at Miami Palmetto High School on Dec. 27, 28 and 30, and the International Golf Tournament, Jan. 2-6, 2020. For more on these and other JOBC events, visit http://www.jrorangebowl.org.

Finally, save the date, Jan. 7, for the Gringo Bingo (7-9 p.m.). That night CGWC will direct the proceeds to Joshuas Heart Foundation. The Coral Gables Womans Club is extremely grateful for Clutch Burgers generous support in hosting these monthly events. As always, Clutch Burger owner Steven Bradley will entertain and call bingo while celebrity DJ Germain will once again donate his services providing music adding to the overall party atmosphere at these games.. For tickets, send email to gloria@cnews.net.

Until next time, keep making each day count.

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Monday, December 23, 2019

Mutations in the RIPK1 gene responsible for CRIA syndrome.

Over the last 20 years, three families have been unsuspectingly linked by an unknown illness. Researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and other organizations have now identified the cause of the illness, a new disease called CRIA syndrome. The results were published in the journal Nature.

NHGRI scientific director Daniel Kastner, M.D., Ph.D., a pioneer in the field of autoinflammatory diseases, and his team discovered CRIA, which has symptoms including fevers, swollen lymph nodes, severe abdominal pain, gastrointestinal problems, headaches and, in some cases, abnormally enlarged spleen and liver.

The disorder has characteristics typical of an autoinflammatory disease, where the immune system appears to be activated without any apparent trigger. Although the condition is not life-threatening, patients have persistent fever and swollen lymph nodes from childhood to old age, as well as other symptoms that can lead to lifelong pain and disability.

When confronted by patients symptoms, who were first seen at the NIH Clinical Center, researchers looked for infections and cancer as the cause. After those were ruled out, they sought answers in the genome, a persons complete set of DNA. Kastner and his team sequenced gene regions across the genome and discovered only one gene RIPK1 to be consistently different in all patients.

Researchers identified a specific type of variation in the patients: a single DNA letter at a specific location incorrectly changed. This change can alter the amino acid added to the encoded protein. These are called "missense" mutations.

Remarkably, each of the three families had its own unique missense mutation affecting the very same DNA letter in the RIPK1 gene. Each affected person had one mutant and one normal copy of the gene, while the unaffected family members had two normal copies of the gene.

The researchers also looked at 554 people with sporadic unexplained fever, swollen glands and other symptoms or diseases, and then at over a quarter million people from public sequence databases to see if they encountered the same RIPK1 mutations. When they did not find such mutations elsewhere, it was clear that they were onto something new.

"It was as if lightning had struck three times in the same place," said Kastner, who led the NHGRI team. "This discovery underscores the tremendous power of combining astute clinical observation, state-of-the-art DNA sequencing, and the sharing of sequence data in large publicly-accessible databases. We live in a very special time."

The RIPK1 gene encodes for the RIPK1 protein, which is involved in the bodys response to inflammation and programmed cell death. To make sure that RIPK1 action does not initiate inflammation and cell death in all cells, another protein cuts the RIPK1 protein at a specific location in the protein sequence. The research team noticed that all the mutations in CRIA patients occur at the location where RIPK1 usually gets cut, resulting in an uncuttable, seemingly indestructible RIPK1 protein.

This suggests that cutting RIPK1, thereby disarming it, is crucial to controlling cell death and inflammation. Recognizing this cause-effect relationship, Kastners team named the resulting disease cleavage-resistant RIPK1-induced autoinflammatory (CRIA) syndrome.

Although the researchers made the connection between CRIA syndrome and RIPK1 mutations, they still needed to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the disease. To do this, Kastner and his team collaborated with Najoua Laloui, Ph.D., and John Silke, Ph.D., at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia, who made specialized mouse models with similar RIPK1 mutations as seen in CRIA patients.

The Australian team discovered that mouse embryos with two mutant copies of RIPK1 (and no normal copy) did not survive in the uterus due to excessive cell death signals, which further confirmed the importance of cutting RIPK1 to limit its function in normal cells. However, mice bearing one mutant copy of RIPK1 and one normal copy, as is the case for CRIA patients, were mostly normal but had heightened responses to a variety of inflammatory stimuli, which the researchers think may suggest a possible mechanism for how the human disease occurs.

Kastner and his team worked to find a treatment for CRIA syndrome. Seven patients with the condition were given therapies that are known to reduce inflammation. While drugs such as etanercept and anakinra, which are routinely used to treat autoinflammatory and chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, had little effect on the patients, one biological drug called tocilizumab did. Tocilizumab, a drug that suppresses the immune system, reduced the severity and frequency of CRIA syndrome symptoms in five out of seven patients in some cases with life-changing effects.

Hirotsugu Oda, M.D., Ph.D., a post-doctoral researcher in Kastners laboratory and co-first author of the paper, said: "As a physician-scientist, the most thrilling experience to me was to hear the mother of a CRIA patient say that her son was a completely different, healthy child after the tocilizumab treatment. Through the genetic diagnosis, we were able to contribute to the treatment of a few patients. This is, after all, the ultimate goal."

Researchers are now trying to understand the detailed molecular mechanism that enables tocilizumab to treat CRIA. Specific inhibitors of RIPK1, which are under development, may also hold promise in both CRIA and other seemingly intractable inflammatory conditions.

The study included collaborations with the following NIH institutions: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH Clinical Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and NIH Intramural Sequencing Center.

About the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is one of the 27 institutes and centers at the NIH, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The NHGRI Division of Intramural Research develops and implements technology to understand, diagnose and treat genomic and genetic diseases. Additional information about NHGRI can be found at:www.genome.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

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Original post:
NIH researchers discover new autoinflammatory disease and uncover its biological cause - National Institutes of Health

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Age-related increases in erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and 28-joint swollen joint count (28-SJC) scores without relevantcorresponding increases in patient global assessment (PGA) and 28-joint tenderjoint counts (28-TJCs) may imply that age-related processes such asphysiological ESR increase and soft tissue changes contribute to a higher28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) in older patients, according to resultsfrom a concise report published inRheumatology.

The current study used the DAS28 and its components to investigate the potential effect of aging on patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are nave to treatment with disease activity in disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) from the Norwegian Register of DMARDs. Investigators used linear regression to explore associations between age (<45, 45-65, and >65 years) and each component of the DAS28 while accounting for sex and education. They calculated adjusted predicted scores for each component and total scores for each age range. Because significant interactions were found between age and sex for the 28-TJC, PGA, and ESR (P<.001), researchers stratified regression models for sex. Education was a signicant covariate, leading investigators to calculate predicted scores across age categories for different levels of education. Disease duration was not included in the model because it proved to not be a significant confounder.

Baseline data were available for 2037 patients (mean age55.2 years; 68% women). Compared with the youngest age group, men older than 65years with an intermediate education level had a 25% higher 28-SJC and 56%higher ESR, and women with an intermediate education level had a 27% higher28-SJC and 51% higher ESR. The differences between 28-TJC and PGA werenegligible (men: 28-TJC 3% and PGA 1%; women: 28-TJC 1% and PGA 2%). Thedifference in total DAS28-ESR score between the youngest and oldest agecategory was 10% for both men and women. In absolute values, the DAS28 was 5.5in the oldest group compared with 5 in the youngest.

Study limitations included using baseline data from patientswho were DMARD-nave entering the Norwegian Register of DMARDs and thepotential for confounding variables; however, the study investigators concludedthat the present study indicates that age has a significant positiverelationship with the DAS28-ESR, with the ESR and 28-SJC driving the increase.Validation of disease activity measures in elderly RA patients should be performedin future studies where the influence of comorbidity and physiologicalageingis studied. The age effect on DAS28 might be relevant in atreat-to-target strategy, but longitudinal data are needed to further explorethis.

Reference van Onna M, Putrik P, Lie E, Kvien TK, Boonen A, Uhlig T.What do we measure with 28-joint DAS in elderly patients? An explorative analysis in the NOR-DMARD study[published online October 26, 2019].Rheumatology (Oxford). doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kez490

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Effect of Aging on 28-Joint Disease Activity Score in Rheumatoid Arthritis - Rheumatology Advisor