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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with increased risk of death in the past, but a new study by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) brings that risk into sharper focus. Using data from the Nurses' Health Study, which has followed more than 100,000 female registered nurses since 1976, researchers found that rheumatoid arthritis significantly increased participants' overall risk of death, especially risk of death due to respiratory or cardiovascular causes. The new work suggests the importance of vigilance in monitoring respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms among patients with RA, particularly those who are seropositive.

"Previous studies have suggested that RA may be associated with increased mortality, but were not able to control for other variables, such as smoking, that affect both RA and mortality risks," said corresponding author Jeffrey Sparks, MD, MMSc, a physician in BWH's Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy.

Osteoporosis is one of the chief reasons why the elderly often suffer broken bones from relatively minor injuries. Postmenopausal women in particular experience a relatively rapid loss in bone mass due to a reduced concentration of oestrogen, which is responsible for strong bone growth during youth. Maintaining bone mass requires physical exercise and vitamin D, which is mainly produced in the skin with the help of UVB radiation. This is why, especially in the wintertime, many elderly women are prescribed a vitamin D supplement by their doctor to maintain bone mass.

Taking vitamin D supplements can improve exercise performance and lower the risk of heart disease, according to the findings of a preliminary study presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Edinburgh.

Vitamin D, which is both a vitamin and a hormone, helps control levels of calcium and phosphate in the blood and is essential for the formation of bones and teeth. Sources of Vitamin D include oily fish and eggs, but it can be difficult to get enough through diet alone.

Spontaneous knee effusion, also known as "water on the knee," can be a primary symptom of Lyme disease, even when patients do not exhibit a "bull's eye" rash, another common Lyme disease symptom. According to a literature review appearing in the November issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can prevent the development of Lyme disease's more severe symptoms.

Lyme borreliosis, or Lyme disease--the most common vector-borne illness transmitted by insects--is prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest regions of the United States.

Scientists have pinpointed the mechanism by which a key gene contributes to the development of a painful bone disease.

Researchers have found that a fault in the gene can trigger the bone defects that affect people with Paget's disease, a condition that leads to bone pain, bone deformity and arthritis. The disease affects up to one million people in the UK.

The team is the first to identify that the gene - called OPTN - regulates the activity of specialised cells that keep bones healthy by breaking down old bone and replacing it.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Strensiq (asfotase alfa) as the first approved treatment for perinatal, infantile and juvenile-onset hypophosphatasia (HPP).

HPP is a rare, genetic, progressive, metabolic disease in which patients experience devastating effects on multiple systems of the body, leading to severe disability and life-threatening complications. It is characterized by defective bone mineralization that can lead to rickets and softening of the bones that result in skeletal abnormalities. It can also cause complications such as profound muscle weakness with loss of mobility, seizures, pain, respiratory failure and premature death.

Study examines concussion rates after Wisconsin's mandatory cap on the amount and duration of full contact activities among players

New research shows that limiting the amount of full-contact tackling during high school football practices can have a big impact on reducing the number of concussions among players.

A University of Wisconsin-Madison study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC, examined sports-related concussion rates among Wisconsin high school football players after the state's interscholastic athletic association mandated new limits on the amount and duration of full-contact activities during team practices.

Scientists at The University of Manchester have shown for the first time that the numbers of opiate receptors in the brain increases to combat severe pain in arthritis sufferers.

The numbers of opiate receptors in the brain increases to combat severe pain in arthritis sufferers.
Credit: The University of Manchester

Chronic pain -- pain which lasts for more than six months -- is a real problem for many people with approximately 46% of the UK population estimated to suffer from it (comprising 20% of consultations in general practice).