Battling Arthritis

In autoimmune diseases, it has long been believed by scientists that B cells (the source of damaging autoantibodies) are activated only by when stimulated by T cells.

Now, new findings by Yale researchers showed that in systemic autoimmune diseases (such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis), B cells can be activated even in the absence of T cells — thereby leading to suggested news ways of intervention in tackling the process leading to autoimmune diseases. More →

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Roche is happy to announce that its rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra (tocilizumab) has won the recommending approval of the US FDA’s Arthritis Advisory Committee.

The committee’s vote was made after Roche presented results from five Phase III clinical trials. The clinical development program evaluated the effects of Actemra on signs and symptoms of RA, physical function, progression of structural damage, and health-related quality of life.

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What: Workshop On Rheumatoid Arthritis

When: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Where: Holiday Inn Express (North Platte, Nebraska)

Sponsored by Great Plains Regional Medical Center (GPRMC) and North Platte Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, this workshop is free and open to the public.

If anybody reading this is near the area, you may want to drop by and listen to Dr. E. Scott Carroll present the seminar: More →

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Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) has been around for quite sometime and has turned into an established imaging technique for the diagnosis and follow up of patients with rheumatic diseases — such as rheumatoid arthritis. MSUS generates pictures/imaging of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and soft tissue throughout the body.

From Radiology Info, MSUS helps diagnose the following: More →

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Updated guidelines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been issued by the American College of Rheumatology.

Co-authored by by physicians at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), the updated guidelines highlighted the fact that proven combinations of medicines and the introduction of new anti-arthritis drugs have significantly improved the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

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The ‘master switch’ gene that has been to play a role in some varities of rheumatoid arthritis in adults has now been identfied in all types of childhood arthritis.

Such were the findings of pediatric researchers at The Children’s Hopsital of Philadelphia. We all know arthritis isn’t an age-related condition anymore.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joint. Of course the old notion that the condition is age-related still prevails. Well, even my own mother cannot believe that arthritis can happen to younger people. But then it really can. More →

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I was born at home. Natural birth method. No epidural, no anything. The local midwife helped my mother bring me out to this world. I am my mother eldest. I still can’t imagine how she did it. Well I had a c-section when I delivered my son. So the real pains of childbirth will always remain a “concept” to me.

So what about childbirth? This is an arthritis blog, right?

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Fish oil. We’ve been hearing and reading tonnes of health benefits from increase intake of fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), either from food sources or dietary supplements.

Now, as presented at EULAR 2008 (the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism held in Paris, France)…fish oil has been associated with reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Take note of the following summary of findings: More →

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Okay, before you all get too excited with the title, let us all remember the word moderation when pertaining to alcohol intake.

Now…studies are claiming that it may be possible that drinking five glasses of wine per week can reduce the risk of the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by 50 percent.

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The other week, I have been discussing rheumatoid arthritis to my mother. What it does to the joints and what are the possible and available course of treatment. I told her time will come that joints can be replaced and so humans will become semi-robots of some sorts. But then I really know that this isn’t a far possibility and must really be happening or in the works already in some parts of the world.

Since not all parts of the body can be replaced by a donor, simply because of the shortage of available compatible donor even in first world countries. This was when I just saw the documentary on National Geographic on the trade of body organs such as liver, kidney, etc.

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