Rayos, manufactured by Horizon Pharma, Inc., will be available in 1 mg, 2 mg and 5 mg strengths. The FDA based its approval on results from the CAPRA-1 and CAPRA-2 trials. The CAPRA-2 trial showed that patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis treated with Rayos achieved a statistically significant improvement in ACR20 response criteria compared to placebo. The CAPRA-1 trial provided evidence of the drug's safety.
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According to study results presented at the 2012 European Congress of Rheumatology, tooth loss appears to be an indicator for the subsequent development of rheumatoid arthritis. A greater number of missing teeth was also associated with greater arthritis disease activity and worse response to treatment.
Even though the annual incidence of systemic rheumatoid vasculitis has been decreasing since the 1990s, an analysis of 34 patients with the condition revealed that 5-year mortality following diagnosis is about 60%, according to MDConsult.com. Despite treatment advances and more aggressive treatment earlier in the course of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic rheumatoid vasculitis is still problematic if you do develop the condition. With vasculitis, blood vessels become inflamed. The affected blood vessels can be arteries that bring blood to the skin, nerves, and internal organs. Veins also can be involved in vasculitis.
It is known that inflammatory types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Dutch study results, published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, have revealed that inflammatory arthritis patients who also have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) are at even higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
A new study presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, revealed that early menopause may predict a milder form of rheumatoid arthritis. The results were derived from 134 cases of rheumatoid arthritis. Patients over 45 years old with a history of early menopause were 50% less likely to develop severe rheumatoid arthritis (16% vs. 35%) and more likely to develop a mild to moderate type which was negative for rheumatoid factor (58% vs. 20%).
Obesity is becoming more common. So is rheumatoid arthritis. Could there be a connection? According to Mayo Clinic researchers, in a study published in the April 2012 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, the answer to that question is yes -- for women.
According to a report published online January 15, 2012 in the Journal of Rheumatology, the rates of joint surgery continue to decrease for rheumatoid arthritis patients, especially those who have been more recently diagnosed. Previous studies recognized declining rates of joint surgery among patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis since 1985. In the study published online in January, researchers accessed medical records of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis from 1980-2007, using data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, and evaluated whether the trend continued since 1995.
More information has surfaced about adverse effects associated with PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix, Aciphex). A study published in the January 31, 2012 issue of the British Medical Journal concluded that chronic use of PPIs is associated with increased risk of hip fracture, especially among women who smoked. The report backs the U.S. FDA's decision to revise labeling of PPI drugs to include information about increased risk of fracture among patients treated with high doses or treated with a PPI for one year or more.
The Arthritis Advisory Committee to the U.S. FDA has voted 8-2 to recommend approval of tofacitinib for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. If approved, tofacitinib would be the first new oral disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis in more than 10 years and the first oral biologic drug belonging to a new class of drugs known as JAK (Janus kinase) inhibitors. The FDA is expected to make their decision on Pfizer's new drug for rheumatoid arthritis in August 2012.
According to a study funded by NIAMS (National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) and published online January 26, 2012 in Arthritis Care & Research, two in five adults with rheumatoid arthritis (42%) are inactive. It's a common misconception that medication and rest alone help to control rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Not only do many patients believe that, doctors actually recommended rest to their rheumatoid arthritis patients up until the 1980s. More current research supports regular, moderate physical activity or exercise for people with arthritis to help maintain joint flexibility, range of motion, balance, muscle strength -- and to decease joint pain.
Shannon Boxx is a midfielder on the U.S. women's soccer team which will be competing in the 2012 London Olympics. Boxx will be trying to snag her third straight Olympic gold medal.
The Arthritis Advisory Committee voted 11-0 against recommending FDA approval of Arcalyst (rilonacept) for the prevention of gout flares in patients starting urate-lowering treatment. Arcalyst, a drug being developed by Regeneron, is an interleukin-1 blocker. The advisory panel did not feel that benefits outweighed risks in data presented for Arcalyst. They also felt that 16 weeks, the duration of trials, was inadequate.
An 18-member international task force from the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism has decided unanimously to redefine what classifies rheumatoid arthritis, according to MDConsult. In 2010, a classification based on signs and symptoms was released but it made no provision for radiographic (x-ray) evidence of joint erosions. Now, the task force has concluded that patients with at least three erosive joints in their hands or feet have rheumatoid arthritis regardless of how their symptoms shake out according to the 2010 classification criteria.
Previous epidemiological studies pointed out a connection between metastatic breast cancer and autoimmune arthritis. In an attempt to confirm the potential connection, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte performed a series of experiments on mouse models.
Nick Cannon, most famous for being Mariah Carey's husband, father of her two children, and the host of America's Got Talent, was hospitalized in January for kidney failure. Just a few weeks later, he was hospitalized for blood clots in his lungs. Cannon told People magazine that he will have to live with his kidney problems for the rest of his life. Just 31 years old, Cannon said he knows his health must become his first priority.
Joint deformity is characteristic of certain types of arthritis. Ulnar deviation (joint deformity of the hand) is often associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Since it's visible, it can be a telltale sign that someone has the disease. Other joints may be associated with deformity besides the hands. For example, the knees may have a valgus or varus deformity (knock-kneed or bow-legged).
Most healthy people move about without ever thinking of the minutia that allows for pain-free movement of joints. But, a disease, such as arthritis, that causes joint pain, joint damage, joint deformity, and limited range of motion can give you pause and make you want to learn more about your joints.
It's springtime! It's the season that brings beautiful, blooming flowers before our eyes. The season that brings more dogwalkers out in full view. The season that wakes up your allergies. And, it's the season that calls upon you to perform infrequent cleaning tasks -- a ritual we call spring cleaning.
If you are like most people, you knew little about arthritis when you were first diagnosed. Most people are not well-informed about arthritis until they need to be. The exception may be someone who has a very close relative with the disease.
Preliminary study results from ADACTA (ADalimumab ACTemrA) revealed that rheumatoid arthritis patients who received RoACTEMRA (tocilizumab) as monotherapy achieved a significantly greater reduction in disease activity (using DAS28) after 24 weeks than those given adalimumab (Humira) monotherapy. Monotherapy refers to treatment with a single drug, not in combination with any other drugs. In the U.S., RoACTEMRA is known as Actemra.
When you experience the initial symptoms of arthritis, it's normal to feel anxious and afraid. You just want to stop the pain and for other symptoms to go away. Early on, you have more questions than answers and it's unsettling.
Laundry isn't much fun under the best of circumstances. It's one of those tasks that has to get done eventually. People without arthritis don't really think twice about it. Well, I take that back. They may think about how long they can delay doing it. But, they don't think about laundry in the same way that people with arthritis think about it.
Traveling intimidates some people with arthritis because of pain and physical limitations. Mostly, it is those with severe or active arthritis who give up on traveling. It's not a matter of desire. They want to travel, but think they can't.
People with arthritis, especially those with moderate to severely active disease, are most comfortable at home. They have everything they need at hand -- their favorite chair, mobility aids, heating pad, and even bed should they need to lay down. While people with arthritis understandably are relaxed in their comfort zone, some actually fear going too far from home. They turn down invitations to parties, picnics, and other events.
When someone with psoriasis develops joint pain, is it always due to psoriatic arthritis? The answer is no, according to a report in Rheumatology News. Their pain is not always due to psoriatic arthritis. People with psoriasis can have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other types of arthritis. It's important to determine the type of arthritis so appropriate treatment can begin.
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released recommendations for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The 2012 ACR recommendations, an update of the 2008 recommendations, focuses on the use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis.
The U.S. FDA has issued a warning about Reumofan Plus -- a "natural dietary supplement" that is marketed and promoted for treating arthritis, muscle pain, osteoporosis, bone cancer, and other serious conditions. The FDA warning suggests that Reumofan Plus contains several ingredients not listed on the label that may be harmful. The FDA has received reports of liver injury, worsening of blood sugar, weight gain, swelling, leg cramps, and adrenal suppression.
Several drug companies are developing a more potent pain medication containing hydrocodone. The new drug would contain up to 10 times the amount of hydrocodone that is found in drugs currently available, such as Vicodin. One of the drug companies, Zogenix, plans to apply for FDA approval of its timed-released version, known as Zohydro, this year and have it on the market in 2013. The possible addition of Zohydro to painkilling options has brought forward proponents and opponents.
Prior to March 2nd, well-established criteria to identify patients with polymyalgia rheumatica did not exist. Polymyalgia rheumatica is a type of vasculitis. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in collaboration with the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), just released classification criteria for the condition. While the classification criteria was not created to serve as a protocol for diagnosis, it should help with patient selection for clinical trials and to develop new treatments.
Study results from the University of New Hampshire concluded that people with disabilities, such as arthritis, who are trying to find work in the hospitality industry are at a disadvantage. People with disabilities find that many employers have preconceived notions about their inability to do the job and the fact that they cost more to employ.
Whether or not diet can have an effect on controlling arthritis symptoms is a question that has persisted for years. Specifically, the theory that avoiding nightshade foods relieves arthritis still has its supporters. More than a few arthritis patients swear by it because they have experienced pain relief after eliminating nightshades from their diet.
About 50 million people have self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis, including nearly 300,000 children. Each year, the Arthritis Foundation holds Arthritis Walk events throughout the country. The Arthritis Walk (a 5-kilometer course or a 1-mile course -- you choose!) promotes awareness of arthritis and serves as a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation.