Arthritis Could Increase Risk of Gout
A study reported in the October 2007 issue of the Annals of
the Rheumatic Diseases stated that arthritis could trigger the
deposit of uric acid crystals in joints, which causes gout. A
number of case reports and hospital-based case series have
linked gout with the presence of arthritis in the same joints,
according to researchers from the University of Nottingham in
the United Kingdom.
The researchers sent out questionnaires to all patients aged
30 years and older served by 2 general practices in
Nottingham. The questionnaire assessed a history of gout
(physician-diagnosed or episodes suggestive of the disease)
and medication use for each patient.
The patients who showed the possibility of gout attended a
clinical assessment to verify the diagnosis and assess the distribution
of joints affected by acute attacks of gout and arthritis.
A total of 4249 completed questionnaires were returned,
and, from these, 359 patients came to the clinic for gout assessment.
From that population, 164 cases of gout were clinically
confirmed. A highly significant association was seen between
the site of acute attacks of gout and the presence of arthritis.
Knee Buckling Not Always Arthritis-based
Many middle-aged and older adults experience an occasional
instance of their knees "going out" or "giving way" when
they walk or climb stairs. A recent study assured these individuals,
however, that this is not necessarily an indication of
arthritis.
Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine
interviewed 2351 men and women aged 36 to 94 years and
asked them whether they had experienced knee buckling or
"giving way" and whether it led to falling. They were also asked
about knee pain and limitations in function. The participants
were tested for the presence of arthritis in the knee as well.
Of all the questioned participants, 278 experienced at least
1 episode of knee buckling within the past 3 months; of these,
217 experienced >1 episode and 35 fell during an episode. The
researchers noted that the incidence of buckling was not
related to the presence of knee arthritis—over half of those
with buckling had no signs of arthritis on radiography testing.
The findings were reported in the October 16, 2007, issue of
the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Mortality Rates Still Higher for Patients with RA
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not only affects a patient's joints,
but it takes a progressive toll on the heart, kidneys, and liver
as well. The autoimmune inflammatory disease has long been
associated with a high risk of early death, but less information
has been available as to whether or not survival rates for
patients with RA have improved over the past few years due
to improvements in treatment and diagnoses.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied mortality trends
among patients with RA and compared them with trends
among the general public during 5 time periods: 1955-1964;
1965-1974; 1975-1984; 1985-1994; and 1995-2000. During all
5 periods, there was no significant change in survival rates for
patients with RA.
The investigators then confirmed their findings by calculating
and comparing mortality rates using person-year methods.
They found that between 1965 and 2000, while the mortality
rates of the general populace tended to drop, the rates
of patients with RA remained stable. The findings emphasized
the urgent need to find methods that will work to lower the
risk of excess mortality consistently associated with RA. The
findings were reported in the November 2007 issue of
Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Relief Is Golden: Gold Salts Used to Ease RA Symptoms
Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi is credited
with the saying, "It is health that is real
wealth and not pieces of gold and silver."
Individuals who experience the pains of
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) might soon be
able to equate gold with health, as
researchers are discovering the mysteries
of the healing properties of gold,
which, they say, could result in renewed
interest in the use of gold salts for the
treatment of RA and other inflammatory
diseases.
Although in the early 1900s the use of
gold salts to relieve RA pain came at the
cost of delayed response and severe side
effects, scientists are better understanding
the mechanism of the element and
how it works to reduce inflammation in
the cells.
Researchers from Duke University
Medical Center in Durham, North
Carolina, studied the molecule HMBG1,
which promotes inflammation, the main
process underlying the development of
RA. Higher amounts of the molecule exist
around the synovial tissue and fluid
around joints where RA can occur. They
found that gold salts helped by interfering
with the activity of 2 other molecules that
aid in the release of HMGB1.
The researchers hope that this knowledge
can help them "build new, safer-acting
gold-based treatments" and encourage
further studies. The results appear on
the Journal of Leukocyte Biology's Web
site, www.jleukbio.org.
F A S T F A C T : Symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis usually begin between ages 40 and 60, but the disease can develop at any age.
