Latest news with #jointdamage
Medical News Today
5 days ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Is there a cure for rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) does not have a cure, and is a progressive condition, which means it continually develops over time. Treatment for RA may help to slow the condition's progression and aims to prevent irreversible joint damage. People with RA who do not have treatment may experience disability and a less favorable suggests that around 40% of people with RA have functional disability that affects their daily lives and ability to work within 10 years of a early treatment, which means within six months of first experiencing symptoms, can improve a person's joint functioning and may lead to lower levels of swollen, tender joints. It also decreases the risk of bone treatment can also increase a person's chance of remission, a period in which they have no signs or symptoms of the disease. Some people may choose to slowly decrease treatment if they achieve even late treatment can offer benefits and significantly improve a person's outlook. People with RA tend to have similar mortality rates if they have treatment, whether it is early or professionals may recommend a combination of treatments for someone with RA. A person's treatment plan may change over time as their condition progresses. Treatment goals tend to be:pain relieflower inflammation and swellingimprove daily functioningslow, stop, or prevent joint damageslow, stop, or prevent organ damage, including a decreased risk of heart and vascular diseasesA doctor may recommend the following treatment options:physical therapyoccupational therapymedications, such as: anti-inflammatory drugscorticosteroidsdisease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)biologicsJanus kinase (JAK) inhibitorsjoint surgerynutrition consultPeople with RA also benefit from regular exercise, which may involve creating a tailored exercise plan, stress reduction, and dietary changes.A person's healthcare team will continually monitor them and adjust the treatment plan when necessary. It is important for someone with RA to attend regular check-ups, which may involve blood tests, imaging tests, bone health assessments, and with RA may also develop complications that require treatment and affect a person's quality of life and outlook. Common complications of RA include the following:irreversible joint damagerisk of cardiovascular disease, which can cause stroke or heart attackvasculitis, in which inflammation damages blood vesselsosteoporosis, which involves weakened bonesinterstitial lung disease, a progressive lung conditioncancerous tumorsSjögren's disease, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks moisture-producing glandsAnyone who develops symptoms of RA can benefit from speaking with a healthcare professional to create a treatment plan as quickly as with RA can also benefit from speaking with their healthcare team if they develop new symptoms or challenges with their daily function. A doctor may suggest making changes to their current treatment more about RATips for managing RA flare-upsThe link between brain fog and RARA feversLess common symptoms of RAHow common is RA?
Medscape
21-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
C1M Biomarker May Predict Joint Damage in Early Arthritis
TOPLINE: Higher baseline serum levels of C1M, a biochemical marker of type I collagen degradation, were associated with higher odds of progression of total joint damage in patients with early arthritis at 1 and 5 years; however, the C2M marker showed no association with progression. METHODOLOGY: Researchers investigated the association between baseline serum C1M and C2M levels and the radiographic progression of joint damage in a cohort of patients with early undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis and recently developed rheumatoid arthritis (the ESPOIR cohort). They included 813 patients (mean age, 48.1 years; 76% women) having two or more swollen joints, with the swelling lasting more than 6 weeks but less than 6 months, and no previous use of disease-modifying drugs or steroids. Radiographs of the hands, wrists, and feet were obtained and scored according to the van der Heijde-modified Sharp score (mSS), assessing erosion, joint space narrowing, and total radiographic scores for each patient; serum C1M and C2M levels were assessed using biochemical assays. Radiographic progression was defined as an increase from baseline in the mSS score of at least 1 point at 1 year and of at least 5 points at 5 years. TAKEAWAY: Baseline serum levels of C1M were 42% higher in patients who had progression of total joint damage at 1 year than in those without progression (median, 68 ng/mL vs 48 ng/mL; P < .0001). Patients with baseline serum levels of C1M in the highest quartile had increased odds of progression of total joint damage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.12; P = .03) and bone erosion (aOR, 3.80; P = .005) after adjusting for the Disease Activity Score-28, C-reactive protein levels, and anti-citrullinated protein antibody positivity. Median baseline serum levels of C1M were 33% higher in patients with progression of total joint damage at 5 years than in those without progression (P = .0037); each ng/mL increase in baseline serum levels of C1M was associated with an increased risk for progression after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI (P = .016). No significant associations were found between baseline serum levels of C2M and radiologic progression at either 1 or 5 years. IN PRACTICE: "[The] biological marker [C1M] may be combined with other biomarkers of disease activity to improve the identification of patients with early arthritis at high risk for progression," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Patrick Garnero of Inserm, Lyon, France. It was published online on July 10, 2025, in RMD Open. LIMITATIONS: At 5 years, radiologic data were available for only 60% of patients, limiting the robustness of the findings. Relationships of C1M and C2M levels with clinical progression were not analysed using the Disease Activity Score-28. Additionally, the effect of treatment groups during follow-up was not considered. DISCLOSURES: This study received an unrestricted grant from Merck Sharp and Dohme, with additional support from Inserm to support part of the biological database. The ESPOIR cohort study was supported by the French Society of Rheumatology, Pfizer, Abbvie, Lilly, Fresenius, and Biogen. One author disclosed being an employee of and owning stocks in Nordic Biosciences. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
