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Arthritis
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Definition of Arthritis
Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, and resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes. It occurs in various forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis.
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Health Tip: Before a Colonoscopy
used to detect colon cancer and other potential problems -- involves use of a long, flexible tube with a camera that takes images of the colon.
Before having a colonoscopy, you should follow certain do's and don'ts to ensure an accurate procedure. This list is provided by the U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:
Avoid all solid foods and any beverages with food coloring for one to three days before a colonoscopy.
You may eat fat-free bouillon or broth soups, or gelatin.
You may drink water, strained fruit juice, plain coffee, plain tea or diet soda (no food coloring).
As certain medications may affect your results, tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, arthritis medications, blood thinners, medications for diabetes, or any vitamins containing iron.
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Clinical Trials Update: Aug. 22, 2007
Osteoarthritis
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Neuropathy
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RA Drugs Linked to Slight Skin Cancer Risk
People taking rheumatoid arthritis drugs such as etanercept (Enbrel) or infliximab (Remicade) may be at a slightly increased risk for skin cancer, researchers report.
However, the risk is probably not significant enough to outweigh the benefits of these drugs, the researchers said.
These so-called biologic treatments work by blocking tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), which previous studies had found to be linked with increased risk of skin, lung and blood cancers.
"The risk of skin cancer is marginally increased among people with rheumatoid arthritis," said lead researcher Dr. Frederick Wolfe, a clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. "But it's nothing that anybody should be worried about," he added.
For the study, Wolfe and his colleagues collected data on 13,001 patients with rheumatoid arthritis included in the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and the U.S. National Canc
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Stopping Statins After Stroke Doubles Death Risk
Stroke survivors who stopped taking cholesterol-lowering statins doubled their risk of dying in the next year compared to those who stayed on the medications, an Italian study finds.
A number of other studies have shown the benefits of using statins after a stroke, the study authors noted.
For instance, the Italian study comes on the heels of a Spanish study that found discontinuation of statin therapy by stroke patients is associated with an increased risk of death or dependency after 90 days.
The Spanish study of 89 people who had been taking statins before suffering a stroke found that 27 of the 46 patients who had an interruption of statin therapy were dead or dependent after three months, compared to only 16 of 43 who did not stop taking statins.
The American Heart Association currently recommends statin therapy after a stroke, said Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of the stroke center at Duke University. That recommendation was made
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Swelling After Knee Injury May Hinder Healing
The swelling that normally occurs when a joint is injured may interfere with healing after knee injuries, researchers say.
Publishing in the September issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, Duke University researchers identified two immune system proteins -- interleuken-1 and tumor necrosis factor -- produced by the body during swelling that blocked the healing of a damaged pig meniscus. The meniscus is a type of cartilage inside the knee joint that acts as a shock absorber between the thigh bone and lower leg bone. Almost 15 percent of all athletic injuries to the knee involve the meniscus. Over time, wear and tear on this cartilage contributes to osteoarthritis.
Medical treatments could be used to block interleuken-1 and tumor necrosis factor and help heal knee injuries and osteoarthritis, the researchers said.
"There already is a drug that blocks the effects of tumor necrosis factor that is used widely and effectively in patients with rheumatoi
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High Co-Pays Cause Seniors to Go Without Meds
Seniors enrolled in Medicare plans that charge higher co-pays for brand name or non-preferred medications fill almost 15 percent fewer prescriptions than their peers who have a flat co-pay for all prescription medications, a new study finds.
The data highlights a tough decision for older Americans: Spend more or skip some of their medicines, including those for chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
"Consumers are sensitive to price. When they have to pay more, they tend to consume less," senior researcher Boyd Gilman said in a prepared statement.
Gilman and colleagues at Cambridge, Mass.-based Mathematica Policy Research Inc, analyzed spending on prescription drugs among almost 353,000 Medicare beneficiaries with employer-sponsored retiree drug coverage.
They compared spending by those in single-tiered plans to those in three-tiered prescription drug plans. Three-tiered plans charged retirees higher co-pays for usi
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Knee Pain May Signal Lung Cancer
Heavy smokers with knee arthritis may be experiencing an early sign of a difficult-to-treat lung cancer, research shows.
Researchers at Prato Hospital in Italy reviewed the case files of 296 patients with inflammation in one knee between 2000 and 2005.
In just under 2 percent of these patients, the mild knee arthritis was accompanied by non-small cell lung cancer. All patients were middle-aged men who had been heavy smokers for most of their lives. Once the cancer tissue was surgically removed, the knee pain cleared up as well.
About 85 percent of all lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Unless it is caught early, non-small cell lung cancer is difficult to treat. It spreads to the bones in one in five cases and is well advanced by the time it is diagnosed in half of all cases.
Writing in the September issue of The Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, the researchers noted that early warning
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Genes Boost Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus
Two genes boost the risk of painful rheumatoid arthritis, and one of them also increases the odds for lupus, according to two new reports.
In one report, a variant of the gene called STAT4 is one of the five genes now identified to increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, both of which are autoimmune disorders, where the immune system attacks healthy tissue.
STAT4 can boost a person's risk for the illnesses by 30 percent to 60 percent, depending on how many copies of the gene one has, the researchers found.
In the other study, a variant of the TRAF1-C5 gene was found to be associated with an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis.
"There has been a huge amount of optimism about what genetics can bring," said lead researcher Dr. Peter K. Gregersen,
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Depression May Be World's Most Disabling Disease
When compared with other chronic diseases, depression may well be the most disabling disease in the world, a new global study finds.
People with chronic physical diseases such as angina, arthritis, asthma and diabetes also fare far worse if they also suffer from depression, the team of international researchers found.
"Being sad is bad for your health," according to lead researcher Dr. Somnath Chatterji, from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
But all too often, he said, depression doesn't get the serious attention paid to physical ailments.
"Treatment of mental health conditions such as depression are a necessity, not a luxury. Mental health conditions such as depression must be treated on a par with physical health conditions," Chatterji said.
In the study, published in the Sept. 8 issue of The Lancet, Chatterji's team perused data on more than 245,000 people from 60 countries participating in WHO's World Hea
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Common Foot Myths Trip Us Up
Did you know that it's possible to walk on a broken foot?
It is, but many people believe that it is not possible to do so -- and then exacerbate the damage to their broken foot by walking. That's just one of the "foot myths" the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons is seeking to dispel. Another myth: cutting a notch in a toenail can relieve the pain of ingrown nails. Not so, say the foot surgeons. The notch won't affect the growth of the nail, which is curving down and growing into the skin. Cutting a notch may just cause more pain and troubles, they warn. And for those who want to blame shoes for their bunions, foot doctors say, "not so fast." Blame your parents instead, because bunions are most often caused by an inherited faulty foot structure. Certain foot types increase the risk of bunion growth, although ill-fitting shoes can and do worsen the pain.
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Don't Ignore Tough or Long-Term Stomach Pain
While the occasional stomachache isn't a serious health issue, persistent or severe stomach pain is another matter that could signal serious trouble, says the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).
People with the following symptoms need to see a doctor:
steady, severe pain or regularly recurring pain;
pain lasting for hours or days;
pain that wakes you from sleep;
pain that impairs your ability to work or perform routine activities;
loss of weight or appetite.
Immediate medical attention is required if abdominal pain is accompanied by:
fever;
diarrhea;
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Genome Area Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis
A specific region of the human genome appears to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis, European researchers say.
A team from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and elsewhere, conducted genetic analyses of hundreds of rheumatoid arthritis patients.
They found a consistent association between the disease and one region of the genome. This region, on chromosome 9, includes two genes called complement component 5 (C5) and TNF receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1).
TRAF1 is involved in inflammatory response, and C5 plays a role in the complement system, involved in defending the body against foreign molecules, the researchers said.
The chromosome region in which these genes are located may be involved in the binding of a protein that modifies the transcription of genes. The researchers also found that one of the alternative markers in this region is associated with more aggressive rheumatoid arthritis.
The findings add to a growing bo
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Caffeine Plus Acetaminophen Toxic for Some
Very high doses of caffeine and acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), taken together, could lead to liver damage, researchers warn.
This combo produces a byproduct enzyme that's toxic to the organ, researchers from the University of Washington report.
This toxic twosome can occur not only by drinking caffeine while taking acetaminophen, the experts added, but also from large doses of painkillers that combine caffeine and acetaminophen. These painkillers are often used to treat migraines, menstrual discomfort and other conditions.
"Caffeine can interact with an enzyme that can form a toxic metabolite of acetaminophen in such a way that it increases the formation of that toxic metabolite," said lead researcher Sid Nelson, a professor of medicinal chemistry. "This can result in liver damage," he said.
In the study, Nelson's team tested the effects of acetaminophen and caffeine on E. coli bacteria. These bacteria had been genetically engineere
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Meditation May Help Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers
For rheumatoid arthritis sufferers whose painful illness prompts depression, relief may come from the practice of an age-old technique already embraced by millions around the world: meditation.
Researchers found that a half-year exposure to meditation techniques helped patients shave as much as one-third of their psychological distress.
The research team, led by Elizabeth K. Pradhan of the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Integrative Medicine, based its conclusions on an analysis of a specific training course called "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction" (MBSR).
Pradhan and her colleagues said the MBSR concept of "mindfulness" is designed to guide patients to focus on the "here and now," while emphasizing the value of calmness, clarity, well-being, and a compassion for oneself and others.
The Arthritis Foundation has said that several so-called "mind-body practices" may help arthritis patients alleviate stress, pain,
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