Nearly everyone aged 65 or older suffers from the pain, swelling and permanent joint damage of osteoarthritis. The most common form of arthritis, it develops over time following initial joint injuries or just as a result of aging. In the current study, researchers found that one injection of a newly designed gene therapy relieved 100 percent of osteoarthritic pain in the study model. In addition, researchers were surprised to find that the therapy also brought about a nearly 35 percent reduction in permanent structural to joints caused by round and after round of osteoarthritic inflammation.
Beyond the current study, Kyrkanides' work has contributed to the emerging theory that pain is not a symptom of osteoarthritis, but is instead part of the disease. According to this new paradigm, pain is composed of nerve messages that over time cause permanent chemical changes in the pathways they travel along, making them more sensitive to pain and encouraging inflammation. This two-way "crosstalk" may mean that arthritis in one joint can spread, through the central nervous system (CNS), to other joints. Worse yet, joint arthritis may export inflammation to the brain, where it plays a role in neurological conditions (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, dementia and multiple sclerosis).
I kinda cut and pasted bits and pieces of this article, click on the link below for the full story. Good new meds are just around the corner and i believe even a cure.
LEV
levlarry39232.7853703704This looks really interesting Lev - thanks for posting
I am so terrified of new drugs...there is no knowing what kind of side effects down the road you will have for a long time.
Blessed, many of these new meds have good promise of almost no side effects. They can't be much more dangerous then what we are taking now or they wouldn't be approved. I know what the long term effects are of pred and mtx the million dollar question is what are the long term effects of the biologics.
Anyway, todays drugs give me good function which i certainly don't have without them. The newer drugs will be much more safe. We just have to be patients with patience.
LEV
Blessed and All,
I posted this before but i just want to post it again for those that missed it so that they can keep good faith and hope.
LEV
Anti-inflammatory Drug Breakthrough From Israeli Biochemist
Main Category: Arthritis News
Article Date: 27 Feb 2007 - 15:00 PDT
| email to a friend | printer friendly | view or write opinions |
Thanks for the info...still makes me very nervous.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com