Statins may cut arthritis risk, study suggests (Israel)

"Taking statins may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, a study suggests. Israeli researchers looked at 1.8m patients and found fewer incidents of the joint condition among those who took the cholesterol-busting drugs. It was thought statins could ease symptoms in those already diagnosed by stopping the over-production of tissue between the joints. But the Maccabi Healthcare Services Research Institute study suggested they could stop it developing altogether. The team discovered 2,500 cases of rheumatoid arthritis, the debilitating inflammation of the joints which affects about one in 100 people"

Women live longer, not better, largely because of obesity and arthritis

"Obesity and arthritis that take root during early and middle age significantly contribute to women's decreased quality of life during their senior years, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. In a study that included 5,888 people over 65, women suffered up to two and a half times more disabilities than men of the same age. Higher rates of obesity and arthritis among these women explained up to 48 percent of the gender gap in disability - above all other common chronic health conditions"

Heart patients with arthritis get less exercise

Heart disease patients who also have arthritis are more likely to be physically inactive, so they should be encouraged to find an appropriate self-management and exercise program, researchers said. Those who had diagnosed arthritis were 30% more likely to be inactive than heart disease patients who did not have the condition, Julie Bolen, Ph.D., of the CDC, and colleagues reported in the February 27 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. "Healthcare providers should consider addressing this barrier with . . . self-management education and exercise programs for their patients with arthritis and heart disease," the researchers said. Arthritis is common comorbidity among patients with heart disease, a group that is already less likely to comply with physical activity recommendations, the researchers said. So joint pain and fear of further joint damage may be an unrecognized barrier to exercise in this group. To estimate the prevalence of heart disease patients with arthritis and their physical activity levels, the researchers looked at data from the 2005 and 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which surveyed 757,858 by telephone - Medpage Today

Arthritis barrier to heart patient fitness

Arthritis, common among those having heart disease, may be a barrier for patients to getting needed physical activity, a U.S. government study says. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said adults with both heart disease and arthritis are significantly more likely to be physically inactive than those with heart disease alone. The study, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, said approximately 57 percent of adults with heart disease have arthritis. In the study, about 29 percent of adults with arthritis and heart disease were inactive, compared to 21 percent of people with heart disease alone, 18 percent of those with arthritis and 11 percent of adults with neither condition. "Engaging in regular physical activity can help reduce arthritis pain and improve joint function, which in turn can help people with heart disease get more active and better manage both conditions," study co-author Dr. Chad Helmick said in a statement. The researcher used data from the 2005 and 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The findings also show that the prevalence of physical inactivity for adults with both heart disease and arthritis varied substantially from state to state -- ranging from 20.5 percent in Colorado to 50.3 percent in Kentucky - UPI

Study sheds light on painkillers' heart risk

"The increased risk of heart attack that comes with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat arthritis pain is directly related to the specific pain-causing molecule they act against, a new study finds. 'We found a significant correlation between the degree of inhibition in vitro [in the laboratory] of whole blood cox-2, but not whole blood cox-1,' said the report by researchers in Spain and Italy" - HealthDay

Jingle Bell Run & Walk for Arthritis

"Nearly 4.5 million Canadians, (150,000 people in Saskatchewan) have arthritis and another 100,000 are diagnosed every year. With your help, through research, we can find better treatments and create a better life for people living with arthritis. Make a difference and register today for The Arthritis Society's Investors Group Jingle Bell Run & Walk for Arthritis. This event is a non-competitive, fun-filled, family-oriented fundraiser that everyone can participate in. Sunday, November 2, 2008"