News and information about the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases (NDB) and arthritis and rheumatology research. Written for NDB participants and anyone with a rheumatic disease.
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Lupus patients missing regular care
"Despite the higher risk for infections and other illnesses, people with lupus are not being vaccinated for pneumonia or influenza or screened for cervical and breast cancer as often as they should, according to a recent study.
Jinoos Yazdany and other researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, and the National Jewish Hospital in Colorado conducted hour-long interviews with almost a thousand people with lupus to find out what kind of preventive health services they received. They found that people with lupus were often not receiving preventive health services such as pap smears, mammograms, flu vaccines and bone density scans. 'Basically what we found was that people with lupus were receiving 60 percent of the (vaccination and screening services) they were eligible for,' says Yazdany." - more from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
"Despite the higher risk for infections and other illnesses, people with lupus are not being vaccinated for pneumonia or influenza or screened for cervical and breast cancer as often as they should, according to a recent study.
Jinoos Yazdany and other researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, and the National Jewish Hospital in Colorado conducted hour-long interviews with almost a thousand people with lupus to find out what kind of preventive health services they received. They found that people with lupus were often not receiving preventive health services such as pap smears, mammograms, flu vaccines and bone density scans. 'Basically what we found was that people with lupus were receiving 60 percent of the (vaccination and screening services) they were eligible for,' says Yazdany." - more from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Fibromyalgia gets new treatment
"The FDA has approved the drug Cymbalta to treat fibromyalgia.
That makes Cymbalta the first antidepressant approved to treat fibromyalgia, which is a chronic disorder of the muscles and related soft tissue, including ligaments and tendons. Its main symptoms are muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tender points at certain points of the body.
Besides fibromyalgia and depression, Cymbalta is also approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, a diabetes-related pain condition, in adults." - more from FDA OKs Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia
"The FDA has approved the drug Cymbalta to treat fibromyalgia.
That makes Cymbalta the first antidepressant approved to treat fibromyalgia, which is a chronic disorder of the muscles and related soft tissue, including ligaments and tendons. Its main symptoms are muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tender points at certain points of the body.
Besides fibromyalgia and depression, Cymbalta is also approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, a diabetes-related pain condition, in adults." - more from FDA OKs Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Understanding fibro fog
"People with fibromyalgia describe it as a fog-like state that hinders their memory and in turn their ability to complete tasks. They even have a name for it; fibro-fog. Now a new study sheds light on how fibro-fog affects people with fibromyalgia.
Research carried out at the University of Michigan suggests that people with fibromyalgia have the same ability to store information in short-term memory as those without the disease. However, what they've found is that people with the disease tend to have a hard time remembering when they are required to multi-task." - more from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
"People with fibromyalgia describe it as a fog-like state that hinders their memory and in turn their ability to complete tasks. They even have a name for it; fibro-fog. Now a new study sheds light on how fibro-fog affects people with fibromyalgia.
Research carried out at the University of Michigan suggests that people with fibromyalgia have the same ability to store information in short-term memory as those without the disease. However, what they've found is that people with the disease tend to have a hard time remembering when they are required to multi-task." - more from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Lupus Chat / Charla de Lupus
"The Charla de Lupus (Lupus Chat)® Program, at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, offers people with lupus and their families peer health education and support. It is a national program available in English and Spanish; bringing services to the underserved Latino and African-American communities.
For more information on Lupus Chat, visit www.hss.edu/CharladeLupus.asp or call the toll-free hot line at (866) 812-4494." - more from MARRTC
"The Charla de Lupus (Lupus Chat)® Program, at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, offers people with lupus and their families peer health education and support. It is a national program available in English and Spanish; bringing services to the underserved Latino and African-American communities.
For more information on Lupus Chat, visit www.hss.edu/CharladeLupus.asp or call the toll-free hot line at (866) 812-4494." - more from MARRTC
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Symptoms and diagnosing fibromyalgia
"Results from an Internet survey have found that people with fibromyalgia are often affected by other symptoms besides pain and fatigue. Many people with this chronic disease report sensitivity to light, anxiety, and problems with balance and memory...
Robert Katz, a rheumatologist at Rush University and the principal investigator of the study, says the problem is that fibromyalgia symptoms often look like other diseases, which makes it hard to diagnose. 'I think a lot of (fibromyalgia cases) aren't diagnosed because (healthcare professionals) aren't comfortable with making the diagnoses,' he says." - more from: MARRTC
"Results from an Internet survey have found that people with fibromyalgia are often affected by other symptoms besides pain and fatigue. Many people with this chronic disease report sensitivity to light, anxiety, and problems with balance and memory...
Robert Katz, a rheumatologist at Rush University and the principal investigator of the study, says the problem is that fibromyalgia symptoms often look like other diseases, which makes it hard to diagnose. 'I think a lot of (fibromyalgia cases) aren't diagnosed because (healthcare professionals) aren't comfortable with making the diagnoses,' he says." - more from: MARRTC
Friday, April 18, 2008
The high cost of lupus
A recent study has found people with lupus spend $10,000 to $30,000 more every year in health costs than those without the disease. Researchers from Bristol-Myers Squibb conducted a study to estimate the direct medical costs associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis. Systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as lupus or SLE, is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the body's own immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues such as the skin, joints, and organs. Lupus nephritis is a form of SLE that affects the kidneys. - more from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
A recent study has found people with lupus spend $10,000 to $30,000 more every year in health costs than those without the disease. Researchers from Bristol-Myers Squibb conducted a study to estimate the direct medical costs associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis. Systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as lupus or SLE, is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the body's own immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues such as the skin, joints, and organs. Lupus nephritis is a form of SLE that affects the kidneys. - more from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
Friday, March 28, 2008
Steroid for CFS and Fibromyalgia?
"Boosting levels of the stress hormone cortisol with low doses of hydrocortisone could help patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia feel better, a California doctor says.
Kent Holtorf, MD, says the simple treatment carries significantly less risk and greater potential for benefit than widely accepted treatments for the two conditions. But chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia experts who spoke to WebMD were not so sure." - more from WebMD
"Boosting levels of the stress hormone cortisol with low doses of hydrocortisone could help patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia feel better, a California doctor says.
Kent Holtorf, MD, says the simple treatment carries significantly less risk and greater potential for benefit than widely accepted treatments for the two conditions. But chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia experts who spoke to WebMD were not so sure." - more from WebMD
Sunday, March 23, 2008
ACTEMRA looks promising in RA study
"Patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with Roche's ACTEMRA(TM) (tocilizumab) experienced significant and rapid reduction in the signs and symptoms of their disease, according to a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet. Results from the OPTION (TOcilizumab Pivotal Trial in Methotrexate Inadequate respONders) trial -- a Phase III international study -- demonstrated that RA patients achieved greater improvement of symptoms and a higher quality-of-life with ACTEMRA, an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor, in combination with methotrexate, compared with methotrexate plus placebo." - more from Medical News Today
Rheumatoid Arthritis
"Patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with Roche's ACTEMRA(TM) (tocilizumab) experienced significant and rapid reduction in the signs and symptoms of their disease, according to a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet. Results from the OPTION (TOcilizumab Pivotal Trial in Methotrexate Inadequate respONders) trial -- a Phase III international study -- demonstrated that RA patients achieved greater improvement of symptoms and a higher quality-of-life with ACTEMRA, an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor, in combination with methotrexate, compared with methotrexate plus placebo." - more from Medical News Today
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Lobbying for Lupus Research Funding
"On Tuesday, March 4th, advocates for the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR), on behalf of the 1.4 million Americans with lupus, described their personal experiences with the disease to their Members of Congress. ALR Advocates visited nearly 100 Congressional offices, representing 21 states, and asked their Members to support lupus research funding through the Department of Defense's (DoD) peer reviewed medical programs." - more from Medical News Today
"On Tuesday, March 4th, advocates for the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR), on behalf of the 1.4 million Americans with lupus, described their personal experiences with the disease to their Members of Congress. ALR Advocates visited nearly 100 Congressional offices, representing 21 states, and asked their Members to support lupus research funding through the Department of Defense's (DoD) peer reviewed medical programs." - more from Medical News Today
Friday, March 07, 2008
Pool Exercises May Offer Cost-Effective Help in Fibromyalgia
"Supervised exercises in a waist-deep pool of warm water may offer a cost-effective adjunctive therapy for fibromyalgia, investigators here reported. Despite adding to the cost of usual care for fibromyalgia, three hourly aquatic exercise sessions weekly for eight months fell well within economic standards for cost-effectiveness, Narcis Gusi, of the University of Extremadura, and Pablo Tomas-Carus, of the University of Evora in Portugal, reported online in Arthritis Research & Therapy." - more from MedPage Today
"Supervised exercises in a waist-deep pool of warm water may offer a cost-effective adjunctive therapy for fibromyalgia, investigators here reported. Despite adding to the cost of usual care for fibromyalgia, three hourly aquatic exercise sessions weekly for eight months fell well within economic standards for cost-effectiveness, Narcis Gusi, of the University of Extremadura, and Pablo Tomas-Carus, of the University of Evora in Portugal, reported online in Arthritis Research & Therapy." - more from MedPage Today
Now available for your support group or arthritis meetings....Our new pamphlets explain what we do and how you and can help. Each one has a postage-paid postcard to request more information or join the project. The pamphlets and a small table-top stand are available free from the NDB. Just send us an email!