Dogs May Provide An Excellent Model For Understanding Human Complex Diseases
In the new Swedish-Finnish study, published in Nature Genetics, the researchers identified five loci that predispose to an SLE-related disease in Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers. The study indicates that the homogeneity of strong genetic risk factors within dog breeds make dogs an excellent model in which to identify pathways involved in human complex diseases. The results of the study also open the door for further studies of specific T-cell activation pathways in human populations. The unique canine breed structure makes dogs an excellent model for studying genetic diseases. Incidences of specific diseases are elevated in different breeds, indicating that a few genetic risk factors might have accumulated through drift or selective breeding.
Most Patients Gain Weight After Getting A New Knee
You'd think folks who've had knee replacement surgery -- finally able to walk and exercise without pain -- would lose weight instead of put on pounds, but surprisingly that's not the case, according to a University of Delaware study. Researchers Joseph Zeni and Lynn Snyder-Mackler in the Department of Physical Therapy in UD's College of Health Sciences found that patients typically drop weight in the first few weeks after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but then the number on the scale starts creeping upward, with an average weight gain of 14 pounds in two years. The study, which was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, is reported in the Jan.
Biomarker Could Help Doctors Tailor Treatment For Rheumatoid Arthritis
Investigators have identified a biomarker that could help doctors select patients with rheumatoid arthritis who will benefit from therapy with drugs such as Enbrel, a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-antagonist drug. The study, led by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery in collaboration with rheumatologists at University of Southern California, appears in the February issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. "While our study was performed on a relatively small group of patients and will need to be confirmed in a larger cohort, the data are promising and may be clinically significant for the medical management of patients, " said Mary K. Crow, M.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Halted: Researcher Invents Nontoxic Drug That Forces Hyperactive Immune Cells To Die
A researcher from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine has invented a novel way to halt and even reverse rheumatoid arthritis. He developed an imitation of a suicide molecule that floats undetected into overactive immune cells responsible for the disease. Whimsically referred to as Casper the Ghost, the stealthy molecule causes the immune cells to self-destruct. The approach, tested on mice, doesn't carry the health risks of current treatments. "This new therapy stopped the disease cold in 75 percent of the mice, " reported Harris Perlman, the lead author and an associate professor of medicine at Feinberg. "The best part was we didn't see any toxicity.
Pediatric Rheumatology: Mortality Rates Significantly Lower Than Previously Reported
A recent study by researchers from the Cleveland Clinic found that the overall mortality rate in the U.S. for all pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases was not worse than the age and sex-adjusted population. Furthermore, mortality rates were significantly lower than reported in previous studies of rheumatic diseases and conditions that are associated with increased mortality. Details of the study appear in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology. The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) estimates that 300, 000 children in the U.S. suffer from some form of arthritis or rheumatic disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Doesn't Hinder Computing Skills
A recent study by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that workers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were comparable to non-impaired individuals in keyboarding speed. Individuals who were trained in touch typing demonstrated faster typing speeds than those using a visually-guided ("hunt and peck") method, regardless of impairment. Researchers also noted slightly impaired mouse skills in workers with RA. Results of this study appear in the February issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the number of workers using computers increased from 46% in 1993 to 56% in 2003 with figures expected to continue climbing higher.
European Commission Approves Orencia R Abatacept In Combination With Methotrexate For Children With Moderate To Severe pJIA
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced that on 20 January 2010, the European Commission approved ORENCIA ® (abatacept) in combination with methotrexate for the treatment of moderate to severe active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in paediatric patients six years of age and older who have had an insufficient response to other DMARDS, including at least one TNF inhibitor.1 Disease-modifying treatment options for children with pJIA have been extremely limited to date. ORENCIA, in combination with methotrexate (MTX), offers another treatment option for children six years of age and older with pJIA, filling an unmet need.
Blood Test Can Predict Rheumatoid Arthritis Before Symptoms Arise
Researchers from University Hospital in Umea, Sweden, have identified several cytokines, cytokine-related factors, and chemokines that increase significantly prior to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease onset. These findings confirm those of earlier studies which suggest that the risk of developing RA can be predicted and disease progression may be prevented. Complete findings of this study are published in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation involving the synovial (lubricating fluid of the joints) tissue and eventually leading to destruction of cartilage and bone.
TAU Expert Reviews Environmental Triggers hairspray! Lipstick! Of Common Autoimmune Diseases
The links between autoimmune diseases, infections, genetics and the environment are complex and mysterious. Why are people who live near airports more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus? How do hormones in meat trigger the onset of a disease? Our immediate environment interacts with our genetic programming and can determine if we will succumb to an autoimmune disease, says rheumatologist Prof. Michael Ehrenfeld of Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine, who is seeking to unravel those mysteries. Prof. Ehrenfeld recently published a report in Autoimmune Reviews on how "Spondylo-arthropathies, " a group of common inflammatory rheumatic disorders, appear to be triggered by environmental factors.
NICE Draft Guidance Set To Help People With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Final draft guidance published today (Thursday 21st January 2010) by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will enable another therapy to be considered for some people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland suffering with rheumatoid arthritis. In the draft, certolizumab pegol is now recommended as a treatment option for some patients with the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term disease in which joints in the body become inflamed, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. It often affects the small joints of the hands and the feet, and usually both sides equally and symmetrically. Around 400, 000 people in the UK have RA and people of all ages can develop the disease.