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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Sunday, December 25, 2005
New RA drug, Orencia, on the way
"Bristol-Myers Squibb received federal clearance for its new drug Orencia as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, the company said yesterday. The infusion treatment, intended for moderate to severe cases of the disease, is a novel biologic agent that works by modulating a signal required to activate T-cells, a factor in rheumatoid arthritis inflammation." - read more here from the New York Times (free registration required).
"Bristol-Myers Squibb received federal clearance for its new drug Orencia as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, the company said yesterday. The infusion treatment, intended for moderate to severe cases of the disease, is a novel biologic agent that works by modulating a signal required to activate T-cells, a factor in rheumatoid arthritis inflammation." - read more here from the New York Times (free registration required).
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Study Demonstrates Safety of Oral Contraceptives in Women with Lupus
"In a major study funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), women with either inactive or stable systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) ... were able to take oral contraceptives without increased risk of flares, or periods of increased disease activity, that characterize the disease. Safe and effective contraception is an issue that many women of childbearing age face. But for women with lupus, doctors have often been hesitant to prescribe one of the most effective forms of contraception — oral contraceptives, or the “pill” — for fear that it might increase disease activity." - read more in this News Release from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
"In a major study funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), women with either inactive or stable systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) ... were able to take oral contraceptives without increased risk of flares, or periods of increased disease activity, that characterize the disease. Safe and effective contraception is an issue that many women of childbearing age face. But for women with lupus, doctors have often been hesitant to prescribe one of the most effective forms of contraception — oral contraceptives, or the “pill” — for fear that it might increase disease activity." - read more in this News Release from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
New choices for psoriasis treatment
"'Psoriasis came along in my 30's, and it robbed me of my life as a young and attractive woman,' she said. 'I had patches of raw skin and flakes all over my body, except for my face. My scalp was like raw hamburger under the scales. I used to have gorgeous nails, but they all came off.' More than five million Americans have psoriasis, a noncontagious disorder caused by an overactive immune system that mistakenly and continuously attacks the person's own skin." - read more here from the New York Times (free registration required).
"'Psoriasis came along in my 30's, and it robbed me of my life as a young and attractive woman,' she said. 'I had patches of raw skin and flakes all over my body, except for my face. My scalp was like raw hamburger under the scales. I used to have gorgeous nails, but they all came off.' More than five million Americans have psoriasis, a noncontagious disorder caused by an overactive immune system that mistakenly and continuously attacks the person's own skin." - read more here from the New York Times (free registration required).
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
NDB Connection RSS feed
If you want to keep track of this blog without visiting it everyday, you should subscribe to the RSS Feed. If you've never used an RSS reader before, this lesson, Contentious » What Are Webfeeds (RSS), and Why Should You Care?, will help you get started. There are many resources available if you search online, and many free programs that you can use. You may already have an RSS reader built into your web browser. Good luck, and drop us an email if you have any questions.
If you want to keep track of this blog without visiting it everyday, you should subscribe to the RSS Feed. If you've never used an RSS reader before, this lesson, Contentious » What Are Webfeeds (RSS), and Why Should You Care?, will help you get started. There are many resources available if you search online, and many free programs that you can use. You may already have an RSS reader built into your web browser. Good luck, and drop us an email if you have any questions.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Common pain drugs in large new clinical trial
"The Cleveland Clinic will direct a large-scale clinical trial to determine the cardiovascular safety of three painkillers commonly used by arthritis sufferers. The trial will focus on three drugs -- ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn or Alleve) and celecoxib (Celebrex) -- all of which belong to the class of medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Celebrex is a cox-2 inhibitor, a member of a newer class of NSAIDs that avoided the gastrointestinal problems of the older drugs. Two other cox-2 painkillers, Vioxx and Bextra, have been pulled off the market because of documented heart risks. The Cleveland Clinic trial, which will enroll 20,000 at-risk heart patients, is an attempt to figure out whether the NSAIDS that remain on store shelves pose any cardiovascular risks." - Read more here from HealthDay.
"The Cleveland Clinic will direct a large-scale clinical trial to determine the cardiovascular safety of three painkillers commonly used by arthritis sufferers. The trial will focus on three drugs -- ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn or Alleve) and celecoxib (Celebrex) -- all of which belong to the class of medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Celebrex is a cox-2 inhibitor, a member of a newer class of NSAIDs that avoided the gastrointestinal problems of the older drugs. Two other cox-2 painkillers, Vioxx and Bextra, have been pulled off the market because of documented heart risks. The Cleveland Clinic trial, which will enroll 20,000 at-risk heart patients, is an attempt to figure out whether the NSAIDS that remain on store shelves pose any cardiovascular risks." - Read more here from HealthDay.
Friday, December 09, 2005
New gout drug study results
"The first new drug for gout in 40 years has shown promising results in a large trial. Patients who got febuxostat had lower levels of serum uric acid than those getting allopurinol, the standard medication for the painful condition, according to a report in the Dec. 8 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. 'What hasn't been established is that the clinical benefits of febuxostat compared to allopurinol after one year were statistically significant,' says study author Dr. Michael A. Longer-term studies to determine the effect of febuxostat are underway or planned, and the results should be available "within a year or two," Becker says." - read more from MedlinePlus
"The first new drug for gout in 40 years has shown promising results in a large trial. Patients who got febuxostat had lower levels of serum uric acid than those getting allopurinol, the standard medication for the painful condition, according to a report in the Dec. 8 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. 'What hasn't been established is that the clinical benefits of febuxostat compared to allopurinol after one year were statistically significant,' says study author Dr. Michael A. Longer-term studies to determine the effect of febuxostat are underway or planned, and the results should be available "within a year or two," Becker says." - read more from MedlinePlus
Journal says Merck hid Vioxx data
"The editors at one of the world's leading medical journals have accused researchers and Vioxx manufacturer Merck & Co. of withholding key heart risk data that showed up in one of the first large trials of the now-withdrawn arthritis painkiller. Specifically, the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine charged that a major study published in November 2000 was submitted to the journal after information about three heart attacks among Vioxx trial participants was deleted by Merck, which funded the study." - read more here from HealthDay
"The editors at one of the world's leading medical journals have accused researchers and Vioxx manufacturer Merck & Co. of withholding key heart risk data that showed up in one of the first large trials of the now-withdrawn arthritis painkiller. Specifically, the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine charged that a major study published in November 2000 was submitted to the journal after information about three heart attacks among Vioxx trial participants was deleted by Merck, which funded the study." - read more here from HealthDay
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Article: Many ways to fight RA pain
"Experts delve deep into the origins and treatment of pain linked to rheumatoid arthritis in an article in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism. 'Rheumatologists are increasingly required to address pain as a specific symptom. Pain management is no longer simply a quick fix with a single pill, but rather an approach to the patient as a whole biophysical being,' lead author Dr. Mary-Ann Fitzcharles of Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, said in a prepared statement." - click to read more from HealthDay
"Experts delve deep into the origins and treatment of pain linked to rheumatoid arthritis in an article in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism. 'Rheumatologists are increasingly required to address pain as a specific symptom. Pain management is no longer simply a quick fix with a single pill, but rather an approach to the patient as a whole biophysical being,' lead author Dr. Mary-Ann Fitzcharles of Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, said in a prepared statement." - click to read more from HealthDay
A new step toward understanding RA?
"Adding another piece to the rheumatoid arthritis puzzle, a team of British researchers believe they've discovered the role a key protein plays in the painful inflammatory joint condition....According to the researchers, these early results could lead to practical treatment benefits, both through new clinical insights into how RA works and by highlighting novel targets for intervention. 'In the future, understanding of this process will help us develop specific therapeutics which will target only the inflamed joints, Nissim said. Others expressed doubt the findings will have that great of an impact, however. 'It's nothing that blows your socks off," commented Dr. Stephen Lindsey, head of rheumatology at Ochsner Clinic Foundation Hospital in Baton Rouge, La.'" - click to read more from HealthDay
"Adding another piece to the rheumatoid arthritis puzzle, a team of British researchers believe they've discovered the role a key protein plays in the painful inflammatory joint condition....According to the researchers, these early results could lead to practical treatment benefits, both through new clinical insights into how RA works and by highlighting novel targets for intervention. 'In the future, understanding of this process will help us develop specific therapeutics which will target only the inflamed joints, Nissim said. Others expressed doubt the findings will have that great of an impact, however. 'It's nothing that blows your socks off," commented Dr. Stephen Lindsey, head of rheumatology at Ochsner Clinic Foundation Hospital in Baton Rouge, La.'" - click to read more from HealthDay
Monday, December 05, 2005
Chronic Fatigue and spinal fluid
"Researchers have identified a set of proteins that may be a biomarker for chronic fatigue syndrome. Scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington analyzed spinal cord fluid samples from 50 patients suffering from at least two chronic fatigue illnesses including fibromyalgia and Gulf War syndrome. They found 16 proteins in the fluid that were not present in the samples from people without chronic fatigue syndrome illnesses. 'Although this is a small study, and more research on the subject is necessary, these results indicate it might be possible to develop a simple laboratory test to diagnose these disorders in the future,' says James Baraniuk, M.D., lead author of the study. Chronic fatigue syndrome encompasses a variety of illnesses characterized by debilitating fatigue, weakness, memory problems and insomnia. The root of chronic fatigue illnesses has been the subject of wide debate among medical professionals for decades." - from Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs
"Researchers have identified a set of proteins that may be a biomarker for chronic fatigue syndrome. Scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington analyzed spinal cord fluid samples from 50 patients suffering from at least two chronic fatigue illnesses including fibromyalgia and Gulf War syndrome. They found 16 proteins in the fluid that were not present in the samples from people without chronic fatigue syndrome illnesses. 'Although this is a small study, and more research on the subject is necessary, these results indicate it might be possible to develop a simple laboratory test to diagnose these disorders in the future,' says James Baraniuk, M.D., lead author of the study. Chronic fatigue syndrome encompasses a variety of illnesses characterized by debilitating fatigue, weakness, memory problems and insomnia. The root of chronic fatigue illnesses has been the subject of wide debate among medical professionals for decades." - from Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs
Friday, December 02, 2005
Rheumatic diseases and pain management
"'Rheumatologists are increasingly required to address pain as a specific symptom,' notes leading author Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, M.D., of Montreal General Hospital, McGill University. 'Pain management is no longer simply a quick fix with a single pill, but rather an approach to the patient as a whole biopsychosocial being....Rheumatic pain, as the authors explain, is transmitted by not only the central nervous system, but also receptors in the joint tissue and cartilage. Because rheumatic pain travels through small, slow-conducting fibers, it is perceived as a pervasive aching rather than as acute, localized stabs.'" - from EurekAlert!
"'Rheumatologists are increasingly required to address pain as a specific symptom,' notes leading author Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, M.D., of Montreal General Hospital, McGill University. 'Pain management is no longer simply a quick fix with a single pill, but rather an approach to the patient as a whole biopsychosocial being....Rheumatic pain, as the authors explain, is transmitted by not only the central nervous system, but also receptors in the joint tissue and cartilage. Because rheumatic pain travels through small, slow-conducting fibers, it is perceived as a pervasive aching rather than as acute, localized stabs.'" - from EurekAlert!
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!