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Swedish researchers report in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases that there is an increase in the risk of developing arthritis in early adulthood if a child has a serious infection during the first year of his or her life. Cecilia Carlens (Rheumatology Unit, Department of medicine, Karolinska University hospital and Institute, Stockholm, Sweden) and colleagues studied data from national registers on over 3,500 people born between 1973 and 2002.

One-year data from a two-year Phase III study demonstrated that ACTEMRA(R) (tocilizumab) significantly inhibited the progression of structural joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Late-breaking results from the LITHE study will be featured as an oral presentation during the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting (October 24-28) in San Francisco.

The use of an antimalarial medication may prevent the onset of diabetes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, new Geisinger research shows. Researchers examined the records of 2,093 Geisinger patients who received treatment for rheumatoid arthritis from 2000 to 2008. The study looked at, among other things, use of the medication hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and the development of new cases of diabetes in these patients.

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis May Harm GumsCategory: health newscreated: 10/29/2008 2:00:00 amlast Editorial review: 10/29/2008

Title: Biologics Don't Raise cancer Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis PatientsCategory: health newscreated: 10/29/2008 2:00:00 amlast Editorial review: 10/29/2008

TNF-alpha blockers are a class of biologic drugs that have been given to more than 600,000 people worldwide to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some other types of inflammatory arthritis. The...

One-year data from a two-year Phase III study demonstrated that ACTEMRA (tocilizumab) significantly inhibited the progression of structural joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Late-breaking results from the LITHE study will be featured as an oral presentation during the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting (October 24-28) in San Francisco. Fourteen additional abstracts, which evaluate ACTEMRA, a novel interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor, in patients with moderately to severely active RA, will also be presented during the meeting. read more

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by widespread muscular pain, fatigue, and tenderness. The cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown but researchers are learning more about the condition, hoping to develop new treatments for fibromyalgia.

Corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis is both preventable and treatable. Corticosteroids (steroid drugs) are the most common cause of drug-induced osteoporosis.

Osteoarthritis treatment options involve a combination of therapies that are tailored to the patient.