Health - Arthritis latest news

Roche Diagnostics announced the launch of a fully-automated immunoassay for the determination of autoantibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (Anti-CCP). The assay has been CE approved for use on the Elecsys / cobas e electrochemiluminescence immunoassay systems. The results of the Anti-CCP assay are intended to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (in combination with other clinical and laboratory findings).

A common, incurable joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability in elderly people. While nearly any joint can be affected, OA most often strikes the knee, particularly the inner aspect of the tibiofemoral joint. One source of stress on this vulnerable joint compartment is the knee adduction moment, an indication of weight placement while walking.

Along with age and injuries, obesity is a leading risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA), a painful and disabling joint disease. While excessive weight can aggravate the toll on almost any joint, obesity has been associated with a higher prevalence of hip OA and an increase in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Whether obese hip OA patients are more prone to postsurgical complications, however, remains open to debate and investigation, since the results of existing studies conflict.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that strikes children between the ages of newborn to 16 years. All children with JRA have joint pain, stiffness, and swelling and some also have fever and skin rashes. JRA can impede growth, damage joints, and lead to disability in adulthood.

It's an unfortunate fact backed by studies of former professional football and soccer players: injury to joint cartilage escalates the risk of developing of osteoarthritis (OA). However, why this occurs - the details of how joint cartilage cells respond to acute trauma and how this response leads to progressive cartilage degradation - remains open to investigation.

About half of US adults with diabetes also have arthritis, which appears to be a barrier, in addition to lack of time and being too busy with other things, because they are not sure what exercise is appropriate and they are concerned about aggravating joint pain and causing further damage. The researchers suggest health care providers pay special attention to arthritis-related barriers among diabetics who are not physically active.

More than half of adults with diagnosed diabetes also have arthritis, a painful condition that can be a barrier to physical activity-an important health strategy for managing diabetes, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in todayâ?²s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Nationwide, 46.4 million adults have arthritis and 20.6 million adults have diabetes, with nearly 7 in 10 having had diabetes diagnosed by a health professional.

Orencia is a biologic drug approved for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in adults and the treatment of moderate to severe polyarticular (in many joints) juvenile idiopathic...

Title: Connective Tissue DiseaseCategory: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 4/26/1998Last Editorial Review: 5/9/2008

Title: Joint Replacement Surgery of the HandCategory: Procedures and TestsCreated: 11/16/1998 7:33:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 5/9/2008