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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Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Diet & exercise may ward off osteoarthritis
"Although they can't prevent aging, baby boomers can reduce the risk from obesity, and diet and exercise can help them achieve it, doctors say....Osteoarthritis commonly begins to show up between ages 40 and 60...Researchers can't tell yet how much activity is the right amount to reduce risk, Dr. David Pisetsky, director of the Duke University Arthritis Center and a medical adviser to the Arthritis Foundation, said. They do know that at least one half hour a day of moderate activity such as brisk walking, as the Surgeon General advises, is good for cardiovascular health. So Pisetsky's advice is to do at least what the Surgeon General recommends, figuring that some protection against osteoarthritis of the knee should get picked up as well." - from abcnews.go.com ABCNEWS.com : Diet, Exercise May Ward Off Arthritis
"Although they can't prevent aging, baby boomers can reduce the risk from obesity, and diet and exercise can help them achieve it, doctors say....Osteoarthritis commonly begins to show up between ages 40 and 60...Researchers can't tell yet how much activity is the right amount to reduce risk, Dr. David Pisetsky, director of the Duke University Arthritis Center and a medical adviser to the Arthritis Foundation, said. They do know that at least one half hour a day of moderate activity such as brisk walking, as the Surgeon General advises, is good for cardiovascular health. So Pisetsky's advice is to do at least what the Surgeon General recommends, figuring that some protection against osteoarthritis of the knee should get picked up as well." - from abcnews.go.com ABCNEWS.com : Diet, Exercise May Ward Off Arthritis
Monday, April 26, 2004
Vioxx and heart attack risk
"A popular arthritis medication appears to increase the risk of heart attack, but only in the first three months after starting the drug....Merck & Co., which makes Vioxx, was quick to point out that this study is not the definitive word on the subject." - from the journal Circulation as reported on HealthDay
"A popular arthritis medication appears to increase the risk of heart attack, but only in the first three months after starting the drug....Merck & Co., which makes Vioxx, was quick to point out that this study is not the definitive word on the subject." - from the journal Circulation as reported on HealthDay
Friday, April 23, 2004
Glucosamine-Chondroitin now ensconced in U.S. medicine cabinets
"If you'd guessed 20 years ago what the "It" drug of the new millennium would be, at least for baby boomers, you probably wouldn't have said a pill made from shellfish shells and cow trachea." But results from an important large-scale study are about a year away. "The NIH study, coordinated by the University of Utah, is a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 1,600 people ages 40 and over with osteoarthritis of the knee." - from AZCentral.com and The Baltimore Sun
" Glucosamine-Chondroitin now ensconced in U.S. medicine cabinets
"If you'd guessed 20 years ago what the "It" drug of the new millennium would be, at least for baby boomers, you probably wouldn't have said a pill made from shellfish shells and cow trachea." But results from an important large-scale study are about a year away. "The NIH study, coordinated by the University of Utah, is a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 1,600 people ages 40 and over with osteoarthritis of the knee." - from AZCentral.com and The Baltimore Sun
" Glucosamine-Chondroitin now ensconced in U.S. medicine cabinets
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Gout Q&A with Dr. Choi
"Today, more people of all income brackets have access to red meat and seafood and tend to eat fewer protective fruits, vegetables and low-fat diary products. As a result, gout is more of an equal-opportunity disease, affecting more than five million American adults. " - from ABCNews.com Can a Protein-Rich Diet Cause Gout?
"Today, more people of all income brackets have access to red meat and seafood and tend to eat fewer protective fruits, vegetables and low-fat diary products. As a result, gout is more of an equal-opportunity disease, affecting more than five million American adults. " - from ABCNews.com Can a Protein-Rich Diet Cause Gout?
Monday, April 19, 2004
Study: Alcohol Doubles Chance of Gout
"Confirming the wisdom of ages, researchers have found that drinking alcohol — particularly beer — can more than double a man's risk of developing gout." The study, lead by Dr. Hyon Choi, a frequent NDB collaborator, did not find a connection between gout and drinking wine. The painful joint disease is a form of arthritis and the leading cause of arthritis in men. - from Yahoo Health News. Yahoo! Health
"Confirming the wisdom of ages, researchers have found that drinking alcohol — particularly beer — can more than double a man's risk of developing gout." The study, lead by Dr. Hyon Choi, a frequent NDB collaborator, did not find a connection between gout and drinking wine. The painful joint disease is a form of arthritis and the leading cause of arthritis in men. - from Yahoo Health News. Yahoo! Health
Friday, April 16, 2004
Do you know someone with arthritis?
If so, we hope you'll recomend joining NDB research. Advances in arthritis research and care come from the participation of willing individuals. Each year hundreds, if not thousands, of doctors learn from NDB research. The more participants we have, the better our research. Follow the link to send and email to a friend with arthritis or any rheumatic disease. Refer a Friend!
If so, we hope you'll recomend joining NDB research. Advances in arthritis research and care come from the participation of willing individuals. Each year hundreds, if not thousands, of doctors learn from NDB research. The more participants we have, the better our research. Follow the link to send and email to a friend with arthritis or any rheumatic disease. Refer a Friend!
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
US Health Literacy Crisis??
"90 million adults...have problems following instructions on drug labels, interpreting hospital consent forms, even understanding a doctor's diagnosis and instructions."
""This goes across all social strata, even people who can read well," cautioned Dr. John C. Nelson, president-elect of the American Medical Association."
- from the Associated Press on health.yahoo.com U.S. Adults Face 'Health Literacy' Crisis
"90 million adults...have problems following instructions on drug labels, interpreting hospital consent forms, even understanding a doctor's diagnosis and instructions."
""This goes across all social strata, even people who can read well," cautioned Dr. John C. Nelson, president-elect of the American Medical Association."
- from the Associated Press on health.yahoo.com U.S. Adults Face 'Health Literacy' Crisis
Friday, April 09, 2004
Safer and more effective use of steroids for RA?
"Researchers have now shown that encapsulating steroids in liposomes results in their selective delivery to diseased joints. This has been shown to facilitate less frequent dosing and may also increase efficacy and reduce side-effects." - from pharmiweb.com PharmiWeb: Feature: Drug delivery technology predicted to allow safer and more effective use of steroids in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
"Researchers have now shown that encapsulating steroids in liposomes results in their selective delivery to diseased joints. This has been shown to facilitate less frequent dosing and may also increase efficacy and reduce side-effects." - from pharmiweb.com PharmiWeb: Feature: Drug delivery technology predicted to allow safer and more effective use of steroids in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Reuters reports on NDB research
The NDB reported that rheumatoid arthritis may raise heart failure risk in the American Journal of Medicine (Heart Failure in RA & Anti-TNF Effects). Reuters offers this report of the study, which was made possible by your ongoing participation in the research project. "To investigate, Dr. Frederick Wolfe and Kaleb Michaud, from the Arthritis Research Center Foundation in Wichita, Kansas, analyzed data from 13,171 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 2568 patients with osteoarthritis." - from Medline MedlinePlus: Rheumatoid Arthritis May Raise Heart Failure Risk
The NDB reported that rheumatoid arthritis may raise heart failure risk in the American Journal of Medicine (Heart Failure in RA & Anti-TNF Effects). Reuters offers this report of the study, which was made possible by your ongoing participation in the research project. "To investigate, Dr. Frederick Wolfe and Kaleb Michaud, from the Arthritis Research Center Foundation in Wichita, Kansas, analyzed data from 13,171 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 2568 patients with osteoarthritis." - from Medline MedlinePlus: Rheumatoid Arthritis May Raise Heart Failure Risk
Get ready for the Arthritis Walk in May
"You say you want to help fight America's number one cause of disability? Well here's your chance. Put your best foot forward and help the Arthritis Foundation raise awareness and funds to fight arthritis." - from the Arthritis Foundation Arthritis Walk Home Page
"You say you want to help fight America's number one cause of disability? Well here's your chance. Put your best foot forward and help the Arthritis Foundation raise awareness and funds to fight arthritis." - from the Arthritis Foundation Arthritis Walk Home Page
Thursday, April 01, 2004
How patients and doctors can reach consensus about treatment
"Talk may be cheap in the cliche, but not in physicians' offices, where a single discussion on a contentious issue such as hormone therapy or prostate cancer screening can take longer than the 15 minutes allotted for the entire visit." - from American Medical News Informed consensus: How to work with patients to achieve positive treatment
"Talk may be cheap in the cliche, but not in physicians' offices, where a single discussion on a contentious issue such as hormone therapy or prostate cancer screening can take longer than the 15 minutes allotted for the entire visit." - from American Medical News Informed consensus: How to work with patients to achieve positive treatment
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!