Sunday, January 16, 2011

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease of the immune system. No one knows its cause, but about 2 million Americans know its effects -- painful and permanent joint damage. Powerful drugs like methotrexate have helped some, but not all affected people. Now, there are new medicines-in-the-making that may do the job.

She's almost 70, but Alice Struzynski is young in spirit. It's her body that feels old. Many of her joints are swollen and painful from rheumatoid arthritis. "Some days I feel fine in the early morning, and by evening I'm in misery," says Alice.

That may not be the case much longer. Alice and her sister, Dorothy, who also suffers with rheumatoid arthritis, are involved in studies to test cutting-edge arthritis medicines. Alice says, "I just want to find a medicine that I can take that won't upset my stomach so much."

Alice may like viox -- a new kind of medicine that doctors say works as well as aspirin but doesn't upset your stomach. Viox, or a medicine just like it, may be available next year. Meanwhile tests on it are ongoing. Trocade can prevent permanent joint damage, and a third drug now referred to as TAC-603 suppresses the immune system. It relieves pain that even the powerful arthritis drug methotrexate can't.

Nancy Wagner, R.N., University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, says, "It's exciting that there are some new therapies out there that could potentially allow arthritis patients to function better in their daily life."

According to the Arthritis Foundation, it's important to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis early in order to prevent permanent joint and bone damage. Symptoms include fatigue, stiffness and soreness. Pain usually occurs in the same joints on both sides of the body, usually the hands and feet.

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