Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

General Information

NEWS:

63 Percent Of RA Patients Suffer Psychiatric Disorders, With Depressive Spectrum Conditions Most Likely “Over half (63%) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) also suffer from psychiatric disorders, with the majority of these (87%) occurring in the depressive spectrum, according to the results of a new study presented recently at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interestingly, over half (52%) of the patients studied indicated that they had experienced stress events before the onset of their RA.”

ARTICLES:

Coping With Fatigue, Weakness, and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis: 8 Top Myths

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Diabetes “There are a number of theories about the connection between diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. RA is an autoimmune disease. The immune system defends the body from invading organisms and substances that can cause damage. With RA, the body’s immune system attacks its own joints. The result of that attack is an ongoing inflammation, which is a hallmark of RA. Some research suggests that inflammation may also play a role in the onset of diabetes. Solomon tells WebMD that there are links between inflammation and insulin resistance. "We know there is an increased risk of insulin resistance among people with RA," he says. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and helps the body use glucose, or blood sugar, for energy. In people with insulin resistance, the body’s cells don’t respond to insulin in the correct way. That increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But inflammation is not the only potential link between RA and diabetes. Certain drugs that are used to treat RA, namely steroids, may actually increase the risk of diabetes. "We need to be very aware of RA patients' glucose levels, especially if they are on corticosteroids,” says Solomon. “This drug is a risk factor for hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels." The effects of RA may also increase the risk of diabetes. People with RA may lead sedentary lives due to pain and RA-related disabilities. When people are physically inactive, they are more likely to be overweight. Being overweight or obese is a known risk factor for diabetes. And according to the CDC, the inactivity caused by arthritis interferes with management of both RA and diabetes.”

Slideshow: Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

JOURNAL ARTICLES:

Coronary arterial calcification in rheumatoid arthritis: comparison to the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (Arthritis Research & Therapy 2009)

Rheumatoid Arthritis. (Circ J. 2009)

Why are women predisposed to autoimmune rheumatic diseases? ( AJ.Arthritis Res Ther. 2009)

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