Arthritis News

Monday, December 13, 2004 New Studies Confirm Efficacy and Tolerability of Once Daily Lumiracoxib for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis
New clinical trials data on the efficacy and tolerability of lumiracoxib (PrexigeR) provide evidence that the selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor taken 100 mg daily offers reduced pain intensity in the target knee compared to placebo while improving the functional status of patients' osteoarthritis of the knee...Lehmann R, et al. Presented at: The 9th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International; December 2-5 2004; Chicago, Illinois.

Monday, December 13, 2004 Clinical Decisions With COX-2s: Balancing GI Protection and Cardiovascular Risk
CIAOMed continues its series about the impact of the withdrawal of rofecoxib (VioxxR) from the worldwide market. The first installment (CIAOMed.org; November 9, 2004) discussed possible mechanisms of the cardiovascular (CV) risk observed with rofecoxib, and whether they apply to other cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. This second installment examines the impact of recent disclosures on changes in the selection of appropriate candidates for COX-2 inhibitors, on the reemergence of traditional antiinflammatory agents such as nonselective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for patients at risk for gastrointestinal complications, and on therapeutic decisions for those who require aspirin to maintain cardiovascular protection& Simon LS. Advanced Studies in Medicine. 2004;4:522-523.

Friday, December 03, 2004 Leflunomide Associated With Lower Rate of Adverse Events Than Other DMARDs, Large Cohort Study Finds
Study of more than 40,000 patients showed that the AE profile of leflunomide, alone or in combination with methotrexate, was comparable to that of other DMARDs used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis...Cannon GW. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1906-1911.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 Large National Survey Shows Importance of Anxiety Disorders in the Psychopathology of Pain Syndromes
Recent findings add to an emerging body of data suggesting that anxiety may have a stronger association with arthritis and other pain conditions than depression& McWilliams LA, et al. Pain. 2004;111:77-83.

Tuesday, November 16, 2004 Long-Term, High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise May Benefit the Joints of the Feet
Contrary to the perception that an intensive, weight-bearing exercise regimen increases the rate of radiological joint damage of the hands and feet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a Dutch study suggests that a long-term, high-intensity program that results in improvement in aerobic fitness and involves 'impact-generating' activities may in fact have a protective effect on the joints of the feet. DeJong Z, et al. Ann Rheum Dis . 2004;63:1399-1405.

Monday, October 25, 2004 Leflunomide-Methotrexate Combination Equivalent in Safety to Leflunomide Alone for RA
A five-year study involving over 5000 RA patients showed no increase in mortality or long-term serious adverse events... Ta KT, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.