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VA research on ARTHRITIS Arthritis affects 53.5 million American adults, one in every five. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the nation’s most common cause of disability.
ABOUT ARTHRITIS clinicians to provide effective care for with access to information about hundreds patients with arthritis. of male patients with rheumatoid arthritis • Arthritis refers to joint inflammation from a number of causes. The term is used to • Some groups are identifying molecular 2006 – Found little overall benefit in two describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases mechanisms that affect skeletal health widely used nutritional supplements for and conditions that affect joints, the and can lead to new treatments for arthritis (glucosamine and chondroitin tissues that surround the joint, and other osteoarthritis. Others are using innovative sulfate) connective tissue. techniques to design therapeutic interventions, from surgical techniques to 2011 – Learned that the complement • Typically, pain and stiffness in and physical therapy, for patients who have lost system, a group of proteins that move around one of the joints characterize mobility or functioning. Still others hope to freely through the blood stream, plays an rheumatic conditions. The symptoms can halt the progression of osteoarthritis, and important role in the development and develop gradually or suddenly. Certain to reverse the degeneration of cartilage spread of osteoarthritis rheumatic conditions can also involve associated with the disease. the immune system and various internal 2014 – Received the Lee C. Howley Sr. organs of the body. • VA studies are exploring less expensive Prize for Arthritis Scientific Research (VA drug treatments for arthritis. Others are Boston Health Care System and others) • Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint examining possible causes of arthritis, such for determining that less expensive anti- disease, is the most common form as immune system changes and a possible rheumatic drugs worked as well as newer, of arthritis, affecting up to 27 million link to PTSD. more expensive, biological treatments Americans. • VA researchers are exploring 2014 – Tested an anti-inflammatory drug • Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1.3 complementary and integrative on mice that may someday have the effect million Americans. In this disease, the treatments, including nutritional of reversing bone loss in patients with RA body’s immune system attacks its own joint supplements, massage, and activity tissue, causing inflammation. It can result in pacing, to manage pain caused by RECENT STUDIES: SELECTED the destruction of cartilage and bone. arthritis. HIGHLIGHTS • Group and individual physical therapy VA RESEARCH ON ARTHRITIS: are equally effective for patients with OVERVIEW SELECTED MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS knee osteoarthritis, found a study • VA researchers are developing new conducted at the Durham VA Medical 2002 – Established the Rheumatoid clinical treatments that reduce Veterans’ Center in North Carolina. The researchers Arthritis Registry, providing researchers disabilities and improve the ability of VA say both approaches are reasonable
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treatment options, and the group • Trauma exposure and PTSD may breaks during the day, which helps to setting may have extra benefits such as increase the risk of autoimmune avoid arthritis flare-ups. A pilot study cost-effectiveness and social support. disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, has indicated that tailored activity (Physical Therapy, May 2016) according to researchers at the San pacing reduces fatigue and makes daily Francisco VA Medical Center. PTSD activity easier. (National Institutes of • Men with rheumatoid arthritis is associated with endocrine and Health) showed higher rates of mortality than immune abnormalities, and this study age-matched men without the disease, showed that Veterans with PTSD were • Less expensive combinations of according to researchers from multiple at a significantly higher relative risk disease-modifying anti-rheumatic VA health care systems. These men had than Veterans without the condition. drugs produce the same clinical a three-fold risk of respiratory-related (Biological Psychiatry, Feb. 15, 2015) benefits for patients with rheumatoid deaths compared to men without arthritis as much more expensive rheumatoid arthritis. (Arthritis Care & • An anti-inflammatory drug that biological treatment in a study Research, Dec. 21, 2015) blocks a specific receptor of T cells conducted by the Omaha VA Medical may halt or even reverse bone loss Center and the University of Nebraska. • Swedish massage may be effective related to rheumatoid arthritis. This The study included 353 patients at 16 VA for reducing pain in patients with knee Atlanta VA Medical Center study found medical centers, 12 rheumatoid arthritis osteoarthritis, according to investigators that the tested drug promoted bone investigational network sites, and eight with the Durham VA Medical Center formation and density in mice. (Arthritis Canadian medical centers. (New England and their colleagues. Their pilot study & Rheumatology, April 1, 2014) Journal of Medicine, July 25, 2013) showed that Swedish massage is a feasible and acceptable treatment for • Ann Arbor VA researchers are For more information on VA studies VA health care users, and they suggest conducting a trial that tests activity on arthritis and other key topics a larger, randomized trial to further pacing in people with osteoarthritis, relating to Veterans’ health, please explore its possible benefits. (Journal of with funding from the National visit www.research.va.gov/topics Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Institutes of Health. Activity pacing is June 1, 2015) a strategy that involves planning rest
Arthritis refers to joint inflammation from a number of causes. The term is used to describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissue.
Updated September 2016 • For a digital version of this fact sheet with active links to sources, visit www.research.va.gov/topics
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