Rheumatoid Arthritis

Source: abclocal.go.com --- 1 day ago
People with Rheumatoid Arthritis often develop disability early in the course of the disease. A new study finds, individuals with more lean mass were at lower risk of disability, but the effect of fat mass was stronger. ...

Source: arthritis.about.com --- 1 day ago
People with Rheumatoid Arthritis who have more fat on their arms and legs tend to suffer more disability associated with the disease. According to a report in the October issue... ...

Source: arthritis.about.com --- 35 days ago
About 75-90% of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis improve during pregnancy, according to previous reports. But how have the new Rheumatoid Arthritis treatments made available during the last decade affected this... ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 3 days ago
Related Articles Modulatory effects of inflammation and therapy on GDF-5 expression in Rheumatoid Arthritis synovium. Scand J Rheumatol. 2008 Sep 30;:1-9 Authors: Bramlage CP, Kaps C, Ungethum U, Bramlage P, Koziolek M, Wessels J, Krenn V, Pruss A, Muller GA, Strutz F, Burmester GR, Haupl T Objective: Growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5), a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta family, is involved in joint development during embryogenesis and has the potential to regenerate cartilage in adult animals. As progression of chronic joint diseases is influenced by cytokines of the synovial tissue, we examined the expression and effects of GDF-5 in this tissue. Methods: Microarray experiments were investigated for differential expression of GDF-5 in synovial tissues, synovial fibroblasts, and peripheral blood cells. GDF-5 expression was validated by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence, and in situ hybridization in synovial tissue of normal donors (ND) and patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Effects of inflammation and therapy were investigated in RA and OA fibroblasts after stimulation with interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, methotrexate (MTX), and prednisolone. The influence of GDF-5 on macrophages was studied by chemotaxis assay. Results: Microarray analysis and immunostaining revealed ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 3 days ago
Related Articles Endothelial nitric oxide synthase T-786C polymorphism in Rheumatoid Arthritis: association with extraarticular manifestations. Clin Rheumatol. 2008 Oct 2; Authors: Brenol CV, Chies JA, Brenol JC, Monticielo OA, Franciscatto P, Birriel F, Neves AG, Xavier RM Several genetic factors were implicated in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). A case-control study was carried out to verify the associations of T-786C polymorphism in the promoter region of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene with RA. One hundred and five consecutive RA patients and 100 healthy controls were genotyped. The distribution of the T-786C genotype and alleles did not differ significantly between RA patients and controls. Nevertheless, the frequency of extraarticular manifestations was significantly greater among the carriers of the C/C genotype than among carriers of the T/C and T/T genotypes (P = 0.022). The C/C genotype was significantly associated with extraarticular manifestations compared with the T/T and T/C genotypes taken together (OR = 4.9, 95% CI = 1.3-18.9). The C allele was significantly associated with extraarticular manifestations of RA (P (corr) = 0.032). The results suggested the existence of an association between the T-786C polymorphism of the eNOS gene and extraarticular manifestations of RA. PMID: 18830734 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 3 days ago
Related Articles [Recommendations on the use of rituximab for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.] Z Rheumatol. 2008 Oct 3; Authors: Rubbert-Roth A, Burmester G, PMID: 18830700 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 6 days ago
Related Articles Reactivation of Rheumatoid Arthritis after pregnancy: Increased phagocyte and recurring lymphocyte gene activity. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Sep 29;58(10):2981-2992 Authors: Häupl T, Ostensen M, Grützkau A, Radbruch A, Burmester GR, Villiger PM OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy is associated with reduced disease activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and frequently with disease exacerbation after delivery. This study was undertaken to generate a systematic overview of the molecular mechanisms related to disease remission and postpartum reactivation. METHODS: Transcriptomes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were generated from RA patients and healthy women by transcription profiling during the third trimester and 24 weeks after delivery. For functional interpretation, signatures of highly purified immune cells as well as Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway annotations were used as a reference. RESULTS: Only minor differences in gene expression in PBMCs during pregnancy were found between RA patients and controls. In contrast, RA postpartum profiles presented the most dominant changes. Systematic comparison with expression signatures of monocytes, T cells, and B cells in healthy donors revealed reduced lymphocyte and elevated monocyte gene activity during pregnancy in patients with RA and in controls. Monocyte activity decreased after delivery in controls but persisted in RA patients. Furthermore, analysis of 32 imm ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 1 day ago
Related Articles Effectiveness of leukocytapheresis for refractory foot ulceration in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Intern Med. 2008;47(19):1763-4 Authors: Sato T, Hagiwara K, Kobayashi S, Inokuma S, Akiyama O PMID: 18827436 [PubMed - in process] ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 20 hours ago
Related Articles Does low-dose and short-term glucocorticoids treatment increase the risk of osteoporosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis female patients? Clin Rheumatol. 2008 May;27(5):565-72 Authors: Korczowska I, Olewicz-Gawlik A, Trefler J, Hrycaj P, Krzysztof Łacki J Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is frequently complicated by peri-articular and generalized osteoporosis due to increased bone resorption by activated osteoclasts. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, interleukin 1 (IL1), and interleukin 6 (IL6) are thought, among other factors, to be directly responsible for this extra-articular complication of RA. Glucocorticoids (GCS) commonly prescribed in RA due to their strong anti-inflammatory effect are also well known for causing secondary osteoporosis during a prolonged use. An influence of low-dose GCS therapy (8.7 mg per day) on a bone turnover in female RA patients with or without previous history of GCS treatment was investigated by measuring bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and various biochemical markers of inflammation and bone metabolism in comparison to results obtained from: (1) RA patients who have not been treated with GCS and (2) the control group of healthy individuals. Sixty-two female patients with established active RA and 178 healthy individuals from the control group have been investigated. The RA patients were divided into three groups: 21 treated with GCS before the trial--these patien ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Treatment with Infliximab plus Methotrexate Improves Anemia in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Independent of Improvement in Other Clinical Outcome Measures-A Pooled Analysis from Three Large, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trials. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Sep 25; Authors: Doyle MK, Rahman MU, Han C, Han J, Giles J, Bingham Iii C, Bathon J OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of antitumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody infliximab treatment on anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS: Data from RA patients who received infliximab or placebo in the multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized ATTRACT, ASPIRE, and START studies were included in this post-hoc, pooled analysis. Infliximab (3 to 10 mg/kg) was administered every 4 or 8 weeks, and all patients received stable doses of methotrexate (MTX). We determined the percentage of anemic patients (baseline hemoglobin level <12 g/dL) who had an increase from baseline in hemoglobin level greater than or equal to 1 or 2 g/dL or achieved normal hemoglobin levels at week 22. The association of improvement in anemia with improvement in clinical parameters was also evaluated. RESULTS: Among patients with anemia at baseline, infliximab plus MTX treatment produced a significantly greater mean (standard deviation) increase in hemoglobin levels from baseline to week 22 (0.74 [1.12], P < 0.0001) than placebo plus MTX (0.30 [0.92]). Significantly ...

Source: www.moreover.com --- 4 days ago
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Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 3 days ago
Related Articles Glucocorticoid receptor variants may predispose to Rheumatoid Arthritis susceptibility. Scand J Rheumatol. 2008 Sep 30;:1-5 Authors: Chatzikyriakidou A, Georgiou I, Voulgari PV, Georgiadis AN, Argyriou ES, Drosos AA Objectives: Deregulation of glucocorticoid (GC) secretion could be associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The GC receptor (GR) has two isoforms. In the present study, we explored the role of GR-alpha polymorphisms rs33388, rs33389, and Bcl I, and the GR-beta variant rs6198 in RA susceptibility. Methods: One hundred and thirty-six RA patients and 148 ethnic matching controls were studied. Polymorphisms rs33388 and Bcl I were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and variants rs33389 and rs6198 by polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) coupled with sequencing. Arlequin and SPSS softwares were used in the statistical analysis. Results: The polymorphisms studied were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both groups. A marginally statistical significant difference was observed in the distribution of rs33388 genotypes between RA patients and controls (p = 0.053). When the A and T alleles were compared, the statistical significance was p = 0.025. Specific complex genotypes were also differentially distributed: the GR-alpha complex genotypes (a) [homozygote (homo) wild-type (wt) rs33388-homo wt rs33389] (11% RA vs. 21% contr ...

Source: www.moreover.com --- 4 days ago
Paus AC et al. - RA with neck involvement is a progressive and serious condition with reduced lifetime expectancy. ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Related Articles Predictors of fatigue over 1 year among people with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Psychol Health Med. 2008 Aug;13(4):494-504 Authors: Treharne GJ, Lyons AC, Hale ED, Goodchild CE, Booth DA, Kitas GD Fatigue is a systemic feeling of exhaustion that is a common symptom of many chronic illnesses, including the autoimmune inflammatory disease Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). We examined predictors of levels of fatigue among people with RA using Leventhal's Common-Sense Model (CSM), which states that cognitive representations of an illness spur (or halt) people's efforts to cope and thereby influence outcomes of the illness. Our use of the CSM was designed in the light of evidence in the literature specific to fatigue in RA. Current fatigue was reported on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (with anchors "No fatigue" and "Unbearable fatigue") by 114 people (73.7% women) with RA at baseline and 1 year later. Baseline employment status, pain, impact of disability, sleep disruption frequency, depressed mood, perceptions of consequences, Arthritis self-efficacy and attempts to cope by praying/hoping were also self-reported. Duration of RA and a haematological measure of systemic inflammation (erythrocyte sedimentation rate; ESR) were obtained from hospital records. Unexpectedly, RA duration did not predict fatigue after 1 year, although lower baseline inflammation did (controlling for baseline fatigue and other disease impact variables). This m ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 5 days ago
Related Articles [Rehabilitation and outpatient physiotherapy in rheumatic disease patients : Results of cross-sectional studies of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatologists.] Z Rheumatol. 2008 Oct 1; Authors: Mau W, Müller A Rehabilitation and outpatient physiotherapy were investigated from the perspectives of patients suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and of rheumatologists. In 2007, 204 outpatients with RA and 47 with AS at the Arthritis Center in Halle, Germany, and 117 rheumatologists from all over the country participated in two questionnaire surveys. Patients and rheumatologists gave predominantly positive judgements of physiotherapy, psychological interventions, and patient education programs. However, outpatient care including these interventions was judged to be mainly limited by fixed budgets and other formal restrictions. Even though these therapeutic options are part of (primarily inpatient) rehabilitation programs, the estimate of the need for multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs varied widely among the rheumatologists. Significant objections against rehabilitation include reluctance of the patients, administrative burden for the physicians, payers' rejections, and limited choice of rehabilitation clinic. Despite major functional limitations, a substantial portion of the patients received no multidisciplinary medical rehabilitation, outpati ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 3 days ago
Related Articles Changes in disease activity, cytokine production, and proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis after simvastatin treatment. Scand J Rheumatol. 2008 Sep 30;:1-5 Authors: Shirinsky IV, Zheltova OI, Solovyova NY, Kozlov VA, Shirinsky VS Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in disease activity, cytokine profiles, and proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in active Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients treated with simvastatin. Methods: Thirty-three patients with active RA were prescribed simvastatin (40 mg/day) for 3 months. Most of the patients received background traditional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in stable doses. At the end of treatment there was a reduction in the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and in the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score. Results: Eleven patients (33%) achieved a moderate European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response. There was a decrease in circulating interleukin (IL)-17 concentrations and spontaneous PBMC proliferation. Anti-CD3-stimulated IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha production by PBMCs was upregulated after simvastatin therapy. A reduction in serum IL-6 was detected only in the responder group. Baseline circulating IL-10 concentrations were higher in responders than in non-responders. Conclusion: Simvastatin treatment is associated with moder ...

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov --- 14 hours ago
Related Articles Circulating chromogranin A reveals extra-articular involvement in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and curbs TNF-{alpha}-elicited endothelial activation. J Leukoc Biol. 2008 Oct 2; Authors: Di Comite G, Rossi CM, Marinosci A, Lolmede K, Baldissera E, Aiello P, Mueller RB, Herrmann M, Voll RE, Rovere-Querini P, Sabbadini MG, Corti A, Manfredi AA TNF-alpha plays an important role in the natural history of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a systemic disease characterized by endothelial activation and synovial involvement with bone erosions. Neuroendocrine signals contribute as well to RA, but their role is poorly understood. We measured in 104 RA patients and in an equal number of sex- and age-matched, healthy controls the blood levels of chromogranin A (CgA), a candidate marker linking the neuroendocrine system to TNF-alpha-mediated vascular inflammation. CgA levels were significantly higher in patients with RA and remained stable over time. High levels of CgA were significantly associated with severe extra-articular manifestations, namely pulmonary fibrosis, Rheumatoid vasculitis, serositis, and peripheral neuropathy. RA sera curbed the response of human microvascular endothelial cells to TNF-alpha, as assessed by the expression ICAM-1, the release of MCP-1/CCL2, and the export of nuclear high-mobility group box 1; the effect abated in the presence of anti-CgA antibodies. The efficacy of the blockade was significantly corr ...

Source: blogs.wsj.com --- 32 days ago
Humira, Remicade, Cimzia and Enbrel have been tied to a potentially deadly fungal infection called histoplasmosis. ...

Source: www.moreover.com --- 27 days ago
Clinical Lab Products Sep 9 2008 1:01PM GMT ...

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com --- 3 days ago
Biotechnology company Arana Therapeutics Limited (ASX: AAH) announced it has submitted an Investigational New Drug application (IND) to the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) for the anti-inflammatory product ART621 in a Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) indication. The IND includes a Phase II dose ranging study of ART621/221 in RA which is planned to be an international multi-centred trial of approximately 200 patients. ...