It’s possible to have RA and not live with pain all the time. Some people have flares, times where the pain is difficult to manage alternating with time when it’s not too bad. Others live with the pain and disfigurement caused by the arthritis just about all the time.

With RA, the synovium (lining) of the joints becomes inflamed. This causes damage, which in turn causes pain and the disfigurement as the joints are shifted.

At first, treatment involves anti-inflammatory drugs to help keep the inflammation down in the joints, but for some people, the disease is so severe that this doesn’t help. Once they’ve tried just about every treatment available, their doctors may suggest that they try a medication called methotrexate.

Methotrexate was originally used as a chemotherapy drug for people with various types of cancer. It is a very powerful medication that must be monitored closely. However, researchers found that not only was methotrexate good for cancer treatments, it helped relieve the pain and disability of rheumatoid arthritis.

While this was good news, there was a lot of concern about the long-term effect of methotrexate in people who take it for RA. The good news is, a recent review of 88 studies on the topic has found that patients who took methotrexate over 2 years appeared to be doing well.

You can read more about the study and its findings in this article, Long-term methotrexate appears safe in arthritis.

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Image courtesy PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Blisstree

Methotrexate and Rheumatoid Arthritis

According to a press release issued by the manufacturer, Schering-Plough, the once monthly injection – alone or in combination with another drug, methotrexate, proved helpful in five different trials and patients who had rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis found that, on average, their signs and symptoms had decreased.

Of course, this medication does have some side effects as all medications do, so doctors should be careful in prescribing golimumab. For example, patients with severe infections or who are allergic to latex shouldn’t take this mediation.

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Image: Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

Health Canada approves golimumab (Simponi)

Recently, new guidelines or recommendations were issued by the American College of Rheumatology for the treatment of RA. The biggest issue in the new guidelines is the use of newer medications called anti-TNF agents (anti-tumor necrosis factor agents) and methotrexate to try to prevent the RA from worsening or from developing severe symptoms.

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Post from: Blisstree

New guidelines: rheumatoid arthritis treament

According to a press release issued by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), “At least 50% of recent onset rheumatoid arthritis patients achieve remission (a state free of signs and symptoms) within 36 weeks when following a systematic approach of step-up DMARD treatment in combination with tight control.”

This finding, presented at the annual congress, was based on this guideline:

We’ll have to see what this translates to in real-life situations and how this does relieve chronic pain.

When you read news like this – does it make you hopeful or are you more cynical, as I appear to be these days?

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Post from: Blisstree

Too good to be true? "Half new patients with RA become pain free within 36 weeks"

A while ago, biologic agents became available for treatment of psoriasis. The treatment seems to be quite effective for many and is providing hope for those who couldn’t tolerate the older treatments.

Here is a video with three physicians who work with patients with psoriasis, explaining how biologic agents work. Just click on the TV screen:

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Post from: Blisstree

Biologic agents for treatment of psoriasis