Eating Fish May Be Tied to Lower Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk: Study

Posted by Neill Abayon

Women who regularly get some fish in their diet may have a relatively lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a large new study suggests.

Swedish researchers found that of the 32,000-plus women they followed for nearly eight years, those who ate fish at least once a week were 29 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than other women were.

Fatty fish -- such as salmon, mackerel and herring -- seemed to be key, the researchers report in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases. Those fish contain an inflammation-fighting fat called omega-3, and women who had a higher omega-3 intake showed half the rheumatoid arthritis risk.

The findings do not prove that fish consumption wards off the painful joint disease, experts said. But there is a biological basis to believe that fish could offer some protection: Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by a misguided immune system attack on the joints, which leads to chronic and widespread inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids help ease inflammation.

"This fits a biological model that's very plausible," said Dr. Daniel Solomon, a rheumatologist and epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Solomon, who was not involved in the study, said the findings are also in line with past research linking higher omega-3 intake with lower disease activity in people who already have rheumatoid arthritis.

More here

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Vitamin D really does prevent cancer

Posted by Neill Abayon

A new study out of Oxford University pinpoints vitamin D deficiency as a culprit in serious illnesses like cancer and autoimmune disorders. According to the report, which was recently published online in the journal Genome Research, genetic receptors throughout the body need adequate vitamin D levels to prevent these and other serious illnesses from developing.

Multiple sclerosis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Chron's disease, leukemia -- these and many more diseases are often caused by a lack of vitamin D. Your genes literally have receptors that need vitamin D in order to properly express themselves. If there is not enough of the vitamin, serious illness is prone to develop.

The Oxford team made specific observations about the importance of vitamin D in the genome regions associated with autoimmune diseases and cancer, noting that the nutrient is absolutely vital in helping to prevent these diseases from forming.

Read the full article here.

Exercise improves functional and reduces rheumatoid arthritis

Posted by Neill Abayon

Copenhagen, Denmark, Thursday 11 June 2009: Undertaking a supervised exercise programme can have beneficial effects on functional status and physical function, reduce the need for daily corticosteroid and anti-inflammatory intake and improve levels of depression and anxiety in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new study presented today at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A three-month programme, comprising moderate aerobic and strengthening exercises, conducted for 50-60 minutes three times per week, proved not only to be safe and beneficial both physically and in terms of quality of life for patients, but was also associated with a stabilising effect in disease activity measured by DAS28*. During the Portuguese study's three month period, researchers observed the following:

• A 33% improvement in the HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire) disability index measurement of physical functioning (assessing ability to undertake everyday activities such as dressing, eating and walking, and whether assistance from another person or disability aids is required) (p <>
• An improvement in physical function, as outlined below:
  • 55% improvement in the 'sit and stand' test (p=0.018)
  • 10% improvement in the right-hand grip test (p=0.025) and 15% in the left-hand grip test (p=0.035)
  • 19% improvement in the walk time test (p=0.063)

Read the full article here.

Arthritis Drugs Cause Fatal Fungal Infections

Posted by Neill Abayon

The U.S. FDA has ordered stronger warnings on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections.

Enbrel, Remicade, Humira and Cimzia work by suppressing the immune system to keep it from attacking the body. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the treatment provides relief from swollen and painful joints. But the drugs also lower the body's defenses against various kinds of infections.

The FDA became concerned after discovering that doctors seemed to be overlooking a particular kind of fungal infection called histoplasmosis. The infection is prevalent in much of the middle part of the country, and it can have grave consequences if it isn't caught early and spreads beyond the respiratory system to other organs of the body.

Read more here.

EARLIER, EASIER DIAGNOSIS

Written by Neill Abayon

Near the top of the list of disease that are tricky to catch early: lung cancer and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). So doctors are working on better screening tools. New test on the horizon:
Lung cancer researcher Bojana Turic is developing a test that uses a scrappings from the inside of the check to detect markers of early lung cancer in smokers and non-smokers. The test will spot subtle changes in cheek cells which result from the presence of cancer in the lungs. The ultimate goal is to have the test incorporated into regular dental checkups or physicals.
Rheumatoid arthritis. In people with RA , the synovium, a thin tissue layer that surrounds the joints and tendons, begin expanding and then erodes bones, causing damage and pain. An experimental new test using noninvasive microscopic MR imaging may detect thickening of the synovium and bone erosions, possible signs of the debilitating conditions in its beginning stages. Early, aggressive medical treatment can lessen the effects of the disease.