INTRODUCTION A study involving doctors, patients, and policy makers has outlined the conditions needed to improve standards of care for people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Importantly, the EUMUSC.NET project projectstudy was co-financed by the European Community (EC Community Action in the Field of Health 2008– 2013) and by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). WHAT DO WE […]
Category: Rheumatoid arthritis
Standards of care for people with rheumatoid arthritis
INTRODUCTION Patients and experts have worked together to produce standards of care for people in Europe who have rheumatoid arthritis. They hope that this means everyone with rheumatoid arthritis will get the best possible treatment from their doctors, nurses, and healthcare services, no matter where they live. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? Most countries have their own […]
Newly updated advice on using DMARDs for RA
INTRODUCTION Shared decision-making between patients and doctors is a central focus of newly updated recommendations on treating rheumatoid arthritis with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The updated recommendations, produced by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), also take into account recent research on the benefits and safety of these widely used drugs. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? When […]
Exercise improves vascular health in people with rheumatoid arthritis
INTRODUCTION Regular exercise can help keep blood vessels healthy in people with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as reducing their numbers of swollen joints. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher-than-usual risk of getting heart disease. We’re not quite sure why this is. It may be because the inflammation (swelling) that affects […]
Why anti-TNF treatments don’t work the same for everyone
INTRODUCTION Some people who take treatments called anti-TNF drugs for illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and spondyloarthritides may get less benefit than other people who take the same treatments, because their immune systems stop the drugs working properly. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? Anti-TNF drugs are used to reduce inflammation (for example joint swelling). […]
How do you measure heart-disease risk in people with rheumatoid arthritis?
INTRODUCTION A test called carotid ultrasound may be the best way to tell whether individuals with rheumatoid arthritis are at high risk of heart disease, according to a new study. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? As a general rule, we know that people with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of heart disease compared with the general […]
Rheumatoid arthritis: cheaper biological treatments on the horizon?
INTRODUCTION In recent years the so-called ‘biological’ treatments have marked a major step forward in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Now a new study has looked at a similar treatment that may be cheaper and, therefore, available to more people. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? Research into rheumatoid arthritis has moved very quickly in the last 10 […]
Promising early results for new rheumatoid arthritis treatment
INTRODUCTION An early trial of a new drug called mavrilimumab suggests that it may become a useful new treatment for people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? Despite big steps forward in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in recent years, there are still many people who don’t benefit much from the available […]
Do better treatments mean fewer appointments for rheumatoid arthritis?
INTRODUCTION Twenty-first-century treatments may be behind a drop in hospital and doctor visits for people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study in Sweden. WHAT DO WE KNOW ALREADY? In the first part of this century, a number of medicines have made a big difference to people living with the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as pain, […]
