In a nutshell This study assessed the long-term safety and efficacy of abatacept (Orencia) plus methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responsed to methotrexate alone. Some background Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease that leads to inflammation of the joints. Methotrexate is one of...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the benefits of water therapy for rheumatoid arthritis patients with fibromyalgia. Some background Fibromyalgia is a condition involving widespread pain and tenderness that occurs in roughly 2% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients may also experience other symptoms including fatigue, depression and...
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In a nutshell This study assessed the levels of vitamin D in adults with rheumatoid arthritis. It also investigated whether vitamin D levels were associated with bone weakness or disease activity. Some background Osteoporosis is a bone disease which causes bone loss (decreased bone mass and bone density). This in turn leads to the bones...
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In a nutshell This study assessed the levels of vitamin D in children, adolescents and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). They also investigated whether low vitamin D levels are associated with worse disease activity. Some background Vitamin D is produced by the skin during exposure to sunshine and is also taken in through diet...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the effect of exercise on fatigue and sleep quality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Some background Patients with rheumatoid arthritis often report having sleep disturbances. The cause of these sleep problems is not clear but may be a result of chronic pain, depression, lack of exercise, or drug...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether a new vaccination for rheumatoid arthritis could improve patients' symptoms. Some background Vaccinations are generally used to prepare peoples’ immune system to fight a bacteria or a virus they might one day come in contact with, like measles or the flu. It is now possible that a...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the impact of reducing the dose of abatacept (Orencia) in patients who were no longer showing any signs or symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Some background Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis aim to reduce or end signs and symptoms of the disease (remission). This in turn helps prevent further joint damage and...
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In a nutshell This study investigated why women with rheumatoid arthritis often have difficulty getting pregnant. Some background Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common inflammatory disease to affect women of childbearing age. For many female rheumatoid arthritis patients getting pregnant can be difficult and it can often take longer than...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the link between glucocorticoid (for example Deltasone, Orasone) use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and changes in levels of good and bad cholesterol. Some background Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fatty substances on the inner walls of the arteries. In particular, low-density lipoprotein (the...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This article examined the benefits and risks of using rituximab (Rituxan, MabThera) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Some background Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease that leads to inflammation of the joints. The severity of patients’ symptoms can be graded using the ACR 50 (the American College of...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study investigated whether the levels of interleukin-34 can predict joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some background Joint damage is observed in about 50% of rheumatoid arthritis patients after less than 10 months of disease. The rate of damage progression tends to be highest in the first two years of...
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In a nutshell This study examined the effects of high-dose fish oil in the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis. Some background The goal of modern rheumatoid arthritis treatment is clinical remission (a decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of disease). Guidelines recommend using standardized measures of disease activity and...
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