In a nutshell This study examined the effectiveness of different types of hand exercises in women with rheumatoid arthritis or hand osteoarthritis. The authors concluded that some hand exercises may not be as effective as others for treating arthritis. Some background Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and hand osteoarthritis (HOA) experience...
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Infliximab or biosimilar? A comparison between two similar drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
In a nutshell This study examined whether switching from infliximab (Remicade) to a similar drug had any influence on performance or side effects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study concluded that switching from infliximab to CT-P13 was safe and effective for patients with RA. Some background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA),...
Read MoreAcetaminophen, OTC Pain Relief and Arthritis Awareness
Arthritis Awareness The word arthritis is the common term for a lot of different conditions. All of these disorders involve pain, swelling and changes that can restrict movement of joints. It is a pervasive condition with approximately 1.7 billion people affected worldwide. According to the Arthritis Foundation, over 50 million or 1 in 5 of adults...
Read MoreDoes rheumatoid arthritis lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease?
In a nutshell This study examined the link between rheumatoid arthritis and 12 varieties of cardiovascular diseases. The authors concluded that patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed higher levels of certain types of cardiovascular disease. Some background Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be up to twice as likely to...
Read More11 years on: Side effects and risk factors of rituximab
In a nutshell This study evaluated the long-term safety of rituximab (Rituxan) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers reported that prolonged and repeated use of rituximab is safe and well-tolerated. Some background RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to inflammation of the joints. Rituximab is an immune-modifying...
Read MoreCombining therapies for very early rheumatoid arthritis
In a nutshell This study examined the combination of abatacept (Orencia) with methotrexate (Trexall) in achieving and maintaining remission in patients with very early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers concluded that combination therapy is more effective than each treatment alone in achieving remission in very early RA. Some background...
Read MoreDo biological drugs affect sepsis and mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients with serious infections?
In a nutshell This study examined the link between biological drugs and serious infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The authors concluded that patients treated with biological drugs have a lower risk of mortality and sepsis after a serious infection. Some background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system attacks the healthy...
Read MoreComparing the safety and effectiveness of etanercept with HD203 in rheumatoid arthritis
In a nutshell This study compared the safety and effectiveness of etanercept (ETN, Ebrel) versus HD203 when combined with methotrexate (Trexall) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The study concluded that HD203 was as effective and as safe as ETN. Some background RA causes joint pain and damage and increases disability levels the longer the...
Read MoreComparing the safety and effectiveness of etanercept with HD203 in rheumatoid arthritis
In a nutshell This study compared the safety and effectiveness of etanercept (ETN, Ebrel) versus HD203 when combined with methotrexate (Trexall) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The study concluded that HD203 was as effective and as safe as ETN. Some background RA causes joint pain and damage and increases disability levels the longer the...
Read MoreIs a combination of tocilizumab and methotrexate more effective than tocilizumab alone?
In a nutshell This study compared the safety and effectiveness of treatment with tocilizumab (TCZ, Actemra) on its own or in combination with methotrexate (MTX, Trexall) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who have a poor response to MTX. The study concluded that TCZ and MTX together were more effective than TCZ alone Some background The...
Read MoreRheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy
In a nutshell This study explored whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity during one pregnancy can predict disease activity in further pregnancies. The study showed that disease activity in one pregnancy does not predict disease activity in further pregnancies. However, disease activity flare-ups after giving birth may predict flare-ups...
Read MoreDoes reducing etanercept maintain remission in early rheumatoid arthritis?
In a nutshell This study assessed the effects of reducing and withdrawing treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who had achieved remission using etanercept (Enbrel) plus methotrexate (Trexall). The results showed that etanercept and methotrexate (MTX) combined led to better disease control than MTX alone, or a placebo (a substance...
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