weekly roundup of useful links

some useful articles, opinion pieces and facts from around the web.

Firstly: a study supported by the World Health Organisation has found that rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions are the second biggest cause of disability in the world. The study showed that lower back pain is the leading cause of disability, and that osteoarthritis is one of the fastest growing conditions. From the article:

Neil Betteridge, Vice President of EULAR representing People with Arthritis and Rheumatism in Europe (PARE) said “The finding that musculoskeletal conditions are the second greatest cause of disability globally should drive policy changes for the millions of people living with these painful and disabling problems. Despite the huge personal, social and economic impact of rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions, policymakers have not prioritised them but this is now set to change."

A UK study suggests that emailing and text messaging may have a place in treating people with rheumatic disorders. A survey of 112 rheumatology patients in Hertfordshire revealed that, up to age 65, a high proportion of the clinical population is well-versed in the use of mobile phones and the internet.

“It has been assumed that the disability that these patients face because of their illness would be a barrier to using technology,” Dr. Hughes says. “However, although a small number of patients reported experiencing problems using a computer mouse and pressing the small buttons on a mobile phone, they managed to overcome these barriers and continue to use the technology.”

This BBC article tells the stories of two women suffering from Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. To an extent, most of us are guilty of considering arthritis primarily a disease of adulthood - the article discusses the challenges inherent in growing up with arthritis, and the effect it has on adolescence - one of the most difficult periods in a young person's life.

Researchers from the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Adolescent Rheumatology, set up in collaboration with University College London, University College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), want to understand why young people like Emily and Michelle are affected by rheumatic diseases and how they can improve their treatment.

Prof Lucy Wedderburn, director of the new centre and a consultant at GOSH, says this will require large-scale studies and clinical trials specifically involving young people with arthritis - and not adults, who have been the focus of most research in the past.
"I feel strongly that teenagers and adolescents have different needs, but there's a real gap in our knowledge," she says.

A study published in the Journal of Clinic Nursing suggests that complementary and alternative therapies may be beneficial in helping arthritis patients manage their condition. 250 rheumatoid and osteoarthritis patients, aged between 20 and 90 years old, were interviewed. Almost 25 percent had tried CAT in conjunction with prescribed medication, and of that percentage, 64 percent reported an improvement in pain intensity, sleeping patterns and activity levels.

"Our study underlines the importance of healthcare professionals being knowledgeable about the potential use of CAT when providing medical care to patients with arthritis," lead author Prof. Nada Alaaeddine, chief of the Regenerative and Inflammation Lab in the Faculty of Medicine, University of St. Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon, said.

"Although CAT might have beneficial effects in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, patients should be cautious about their use and should tell their healthcare providers that they are using them to make sure they don't conflict with their existing treatment," Alaaeddine added.

Researchers at Rush University Medical Centre have discovered a molecular mechanism which may explain what causes pain in osteoarthritis patients. Possible good news for osteoarthritis sufferers!

"This is an important contribution to the field of osteoarthritis research. Rather than looking at the cartilage breakdown pathway in osteoarthritis, Dr. Malfait and her colleagues are looking at the pain pathway, and this can take OA research in to a novel direction that can lead to new pain remedies in the future," said Dr. Joshua Jacobs, professor and chairman of orthopedic surgery at Rush University Medical Center.

And finally, a study by the Mayo Clinic shows that men with fibromyalgia are often going undiagnosed, and reveals the need for more research in this area.

Based on the study's findings, the researchers estimate that 6.4 percent of people 21 and older in Olmsted County have fibromyalgia - far more than have been officially diagnosed with it.

Fibromyalgia is more common in women, but men can get it too. The discrepancy between the number of people reporting fibromyalgia symptoms and the number actually diagnosed with the condition was greatest among men, the study found. Twenty times more men appeared to have fibromyalgia based on their survey response than had been diagnosed, while three times more women reported fibromyalgia symptoms than were diagnosed.