http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Despite previous studies touting its benefit in moderating gout risk, new research reveals that vitamin C, also known ascorbic acid, does not reduce uric acid (urate) levels to a clinically significant degree in patients with established gout. Vitamin C supplementation, alone or in combination with allopurinol, appears to have a weak effect on lowering uric acid levels in gout patients according to the results published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-vitamin-uric-acid-gout-patients.html Health Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:02 EST news287856837 A new study published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal, Arthritis Care & Research, reveals that women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were on methotrexate (MTX), a drug commonly used to reduce inflammation caused by RA, had lower rates of induced abortions compared to women with RA who were not exposed to the medication. Findings indicate that women with RA exposed to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs may have increased abortion rates compared to unexposed women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-medications-rheumatoid-arthritis-affect-abortion.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:01 EST news285246115 (HealthDay)—The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has joined the Coalition for Accessible Treatments, in support of the Patients' Access to Treatments Act of 2013, which will reduce the out-of-pocket expenses for medications, including biologics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-acr-patients-access-treatments.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:50:01 EST news279905346 (HealthDay)—The osteoporosis therapeutic strontium ranelate (SrRan) reduces radiographic and radiological progression of knee osteoarthritis, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, held from Nov. 10 to 14 in Washington, D.C. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-acr-strontium-ranelate-knee-oa.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:00:02 EST news271960458 (HealthDay)—Overweight and obese women are at increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-extra-pounds-linked-rheumatoid-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:10:02 EST news271960222 Rheumatoid arthritis alone is painful and disabling, but it also puts patients at higher risk of death. The greater susceptibility to infections that accompanies the autoimmune disorder is one reason. Assessing the danger of infection a particular patient faces so it can be addressed can prove challenging for physicians. A Mayo Clinic study finds that a risk score can be developed to predict a patient's chances of having serious infections. The score uses information about how rheumatoid arthritis is affecting a patient, plus factors including age, corticosteroid use and the presence of other illnesses. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-infections-rheumatoid-arthritis-patientsstudy.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:12:31 EST news266062321 Obesity and the painful autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis are each becoming more common, raising a logical question: Could one have something to do with the other? For women, it appears there is a link, Mayo Clinic researchers say. They studied hundreds of patients and found a history of obesity puts women at significant risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Their findings are published online in the American College of Rheumatology journal Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-obesity-epidemic-fueling-rheumatoid-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:00:06 EST news254584796 To relieve pain, arthritis sufferers are prescribed medications that may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, both of which can irritate the digestive tract. At times additional drugs are co-prescribed with NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors to prevent adverse gastrointestinal (GI) effects. Now a new study available today in the American College of Rheumatology journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism, reveals that decreasing gastroprotective agent (GPA) adherence among users of COX-2 inhibitors is linked to an increased risk of such upper GI complications. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-gastroprotective-drugs-anti-inflammatory-medicines.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:57:14 EST news253766693 The American College of Rheumatology has released the first classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica – aimed at helping physicians identify patients with this condition, which occurs in persons aged 50 years or older who have recent onset of pain in the shoulders, neck and hips along with other inflammatory symptoms not explained by an alternate diagnosis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-american-college-rheumatology-classification-criteria.html Inflammatory disorders Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:57:15 EST news249911800