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.
| Contact the NDB | Enroll in NDB Research | NDB Forum |
Monday, January 31, 2005
No more Bextra for Kaiser Permanente HMO members
"Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest not-for-profit managed-care provider, has stopped prescribing Bextra until tests show whether the painkiller is safe." - from MSNBC
"Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest not-for-profit managed-care provider, has stopped prescribing Bextra until tests show whether the painkiller is safe." - from MSNBC
Friday, January 28, 2005
Pain tolerance varies with age, study says
"Older adults seem better able to cope with chronic pain than younger adults, say researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Florida." - from HealthDay
"Older adults seem better able to cope with chronic pain than younger adults, say researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Florida." - from HealthDay
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Knee replacement book gets good review
"Knee replacement surgery literally can give a person back their life. The patient should know what to expect before, during, and after the surgery, as well as what their responsibility is to assure a successful result. This book serves as the knee owner's manual -- and it is a masterpiece." - reviewed by Carol Eustice of Arthritis.About.com
"Knee replacement surgery literally can give a person back their life. The patient should know what to expect before, during, and after the surgery, as well as what their responsibility is to assure a successful result. This book serves as the knee owner's manual -- and it is a masterpiece." - reviewed by Carol Eustice of Arthritis.About.com
Monday, January 24, 2005
Cox-2's were overprescribed
"The research, published in the Jan. 24 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, finds that many people may have been paying more than needed and may have been unnecessarily exposed to side effects.
Most of the growth in Cox-2 use between 1999 and 2002 came among patients who were least likely to benefit, namely those without a high risk of gastrointestinal complications, according to the study. Cox-2 inhibitors were developed for patients who had gastrointestinal problems with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen." - fromHealthDay
"The research, published in the Jan. 24 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, finds that many people may have been paying more than needed and may have been unnecessarily exposed to side effects.
Most of the growth in Cox-2 use between 1999 and 2002 came among patients who were least likely to benefit, namely those without a high risk of gastrointestinal complications, according to the study. Cox-2 inhibitors were developed for patients who had gastrointestinal problems with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen." - fromHealthDay
Monday, January 17, 2005
What Is Rheumatoid Lung Disease?
Perhaps after answering the NDB's questions about this problem that affects about one-quarter of all RA patients, or half a million people in the US, you've wanted to know more about it. Here's a quick overveiew, courtesy of
arthritis.about.com
Perhaps after answering the NDB's questions about this problem that affects about one-quarter of all RA patients, or half a million people in the US, you've wanted to know more about it. Here's a quick overveiew, courtesy of
arthritis.about.com
Friday, January 14, 2005
Don't believe everything you see on TV
"Advertisements for the arthritis drug Celebrex were misleading and unsubstantiated, overstating the pain reliever's benefits and understating the risks, the government said Wednesday....five ads for Celebrex and/or Bextra reviewed by the FDA were found to be misleading and in violation of federal law, the agency said. They omitted facts, including information about risks, wrongly claimed superiority and made unsubstantiated claims about the drugs' effectiveness, the FDA said." - from CNN.com
"Advertisements for the arthritis drug Celebrex were misleading and unsubstantiated, overstating the pain reliever's benefits and understating the risks, the government said Wednesday....five ads for Celebrex and/or Bextra reviewed by the FDA were found to be misleading and in violation of federal law, the agency said. They omitted facts, including information about risks, wrongly claimed superiority and made unsubstantiated claims about the drugs' effectiveness, the FDA said." - from CNN.com
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
New biomarker offers hope for early OA detection
"Scientists have identified a possible biomarker to predict osteoarthritis (OA), says a study in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
The study of blood samples from 753 white and black American men and women found a strong association between high levels of hyaluronic acid and severe knee and hip arthritis. Hyaluronic acid is a component of connective tissue that's widely distributed throughout the body and plays an important role in joint function." - from HealthDay
"Scientists have identified a possible biomarker to predict osteoarthritis (OA), says a study in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
The study of blood samples from 753 white and black American men and women found a strong association between high levels of hyaluronic acid and severe knee and hip arthritis. Hyaluronic acid is a component of connective tissue that's widely distributed throughout the body and plays an important role in joint function." - from HealthDay
Friday, January 07, 2005
Do you want your Vioxx back?
Some NDB participants have written that for them, the small risk of a heart attack increased by Vioxx was worth it for the relief it provided. Here's an article about those thoughts, from USA Today - For those in pain, relief trumps risks of banned painkillers
Some NDB participants have written that for them, the small risk of a heart attack increased by Vioxx was worth it for the relief it provided. Here's an article about those thoughts, from USA Today - For those in pain, relief trumps risks of banned painkillers
Thursday, January 06, 2005
January 2005 Questionnaire: Incompatible Browsers
As more and more companies are offering web browsers to compete with Microsoft's Internet Explorer(IE), we've discovered a few problems with some of them. Fortunately, the most common browsers work. Here are our recommendations:
PC/Windows Users: You can use IE 6 or greater, Netscape or Firefox. Opera can not handle Webquest at this point.
Apple/Mac Users: You can use Netscape or Firefox. Unfortunately, Safari and Opera will not work. IE for Mac is no longer supported by Microsoft and will not work.
Please contact us if you have any questions or problems.
As more and more companies are offering web browsers to compete with Microsoft's Internet Explorer(IE), we've discovered a few problems with some of them. Fortunately, the most common browsers work. Here are our recommendations:
PC/Windows Users: You can use IE 6 or greater, Netscape or Firefox. Opera can not handle Webquest at this point.
Apple/Mac Users: You can use Netscape or Firefox. Unfortunately, Safari and Opera will not work. IE for Mac is no longer supported by Microsoft and will not work.
Please contact us if you have any questions or problems.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Attention NDB Mac Users
As you start work on your January 2005 questionnaire, we want to let you Mac users know of a couple of things regarding your web browser.
Internet Explorer is not supported anymore on the Mac and is too outdated to use for WebQuest. Please do not try to use it.
Safari users have reported incompatability with WebQuest.
The best browsers to use are Netscape or Firefox, both available free for download.
Please contact us if you have any problems accessing your questionnaire, and thanks for your help!
As you start work on your January 2005 questionnaire, we want to let you Mac users know of a couple of things regarding your web browser.
Internet Explorer is not supported anymore on the Mac and is too outdated to use for WebQuest. Please do not try to use it.
Safari users have reported incompatability with WebQuest.
The best browsers to use are Netscape or Firefox, both available free for download.
Please contact us if you have any problems accessing your questionnaire, and thanks for your help!
Lupus genetic link found in mice
"Scientists have uncovered a link between a family of genes and abnormalities of the immune system that are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a devastating disease that affects over 1 million Americans. The research, published in the December issue of Immunity, significantly advances the understanding of the pathology of lupus-like autoimmunity in mice and may facilitate the design of future therapies for lupus in humans." - from Science Daily
"Scientists have uncovered a link between a family of genes and abnormalities of the immune system that are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a devastating disease that affects over 1 million Americans. The research, published in the December issue of Immunity, significantly advances the understanding of the pathology of lupus-like autoimmunity in mice and may facilitate the design of future therapies for lupus in humans." - from Science Daily
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!