StemCell Therapy

Global Veterinary Medicine MarketIndustry Trends and Forecast to 2028 New Research Report Added to Databridgemarketresearch.com database. The report width Of pages : 350 Figures: 60 And Tables: 220 in it. Global Veterinary Medicine Market describes complete industry Outlook with in-depth analysis. This report also Includes the complete analysis of each segment in terms of opportunity, market attractiveness index and growth rate, top players and new comers in industry, competitive landscape, sales, price, revenue, gross margin, market share, market risks, opportunities, market barriers, and challenges.key statistics on the market status. which give the clear idea about the product differentiation and an understanding of competitive landscape Globally.

Global Veterinary Medicine Market Research report comprises of a brief summary on the trends and tendency that may help the key market players functioning in the industry to understand the market and strategize for his or her Organisation expansion for this reason. This statistical surveying report examines the entire market size, market share, key segments, growth, key drivers, CAGR, historic data, present market trends And End User Demand, environment, technological innovation, upcoming technologies and the technical progress in the industry.

Veterinary medicine marketis expected to reach a market value of USD 45.6 billion by 2027 whilegrowat a potential rate of 7.15% in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Growing number of pet adoption will help in the growth of theveterinarymedicine market.

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Major players

The major players covered in the veterinary medicine market report are Merck & Co., Inc., Ceva, Vetoquinol S.A., Zoetis, BoehringerIngelheim International GmbH, Bayer AG, Elanco.,Nutreco N.V.,Virbac., Kindred Biosciences, Inc., BiogenesisBago, infocusrx., NEOGEN CORPORATION, Hester Biosciences Limited., Cargill, Incorporated., ADM Animal Nutrition,among other domestic and global players.

Patient Epidemiology Analysis

Veterinary medicine market also provides you with detailed Customization Available: Global Veterinary Medicine Market

market analysis for patient analysis, prognosis and cures. Prevalence, incidence, mortality, adherence rates are some of the data variables that are available in the report. Direct or indirect impact analysis of epidemiology to market growth are analysed to create a more robust and cohort multivariate statistical model for forecasting the market in the growth period.

Increasing prevalence of veterinary professionals, growing demand of pet insurance, increasing initiatives by the government as well as private regarding animal health, rising consumption of meat and mandatory vaccinations, growinglivestockpopulation as well as pet ownership rates will likely to enhance the growth of the veterinary medicine market in the forecast period of 2020-2027. On the other hand, increasing research and development for procedural advancement will further boost various opportunities that will lead to the growth of the veterinary medicine market in the above mentioned forecast period.

Rising number of counterfeit drugs, rising occurrences of various infections will likely to hinder the growth of the veterinary medicine market in the mentioned forecast period.

This veterinary medicine market report provides details of market share, new developments, and product pipeline analysis, impact of domestic and localised market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, product approvals, strategic decisions, product launches, geographic expansions, and technological innovations in the market. To understand the analysis and the veterinary medicine market scenario contactData Bridge Market Researchfor anAnalyst Brief, our team will help you create a revenue impact solution to achieve your desired goal.

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Global Veterinary Medicine Market Scope and Market Size

Veterinary medicine market is segmented on the basis ofproduct, animal type, mode of delivery and end-use. The growth among segments helps you analyse niche pockets of growth and strategies to approach the market and determine your core application areas and the difference in your target markets.

Veterinary Medicine Market Country Level Analysis

Veterinary medicine market is analysed and market size information is provided by country by product, animal type, mode of delivery and end use as referenced above.

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North America dominates the veterinary medicine market due to prevalence of favourable government policies along with rising initiatives to improve animal health while the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest growth rate in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027 because of expansion of manufacturing facilities and vaccination for livestock animals.

The country section of the report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in regulation in the market domestically that impacts the current and future trends of the market. Data points such as new sales, replacement sales, country demographics, disease epidemiology and import-export tariffs are some of the major pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, presence and availability of global brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of sales channels are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data.

Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

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An absolute way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today!Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

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Global Veterinary Medicine Market to Get Expansion admist COVID 19, Scope With Advanced Technologies Top Key Players and Forecast 2020-2027 - The...

ABUJA - Corruption has made Nigeria the biggest smuggler of ivory and pangolin scales from central and West Africa to Asia, according to a report by the Environmental Investigation Agency. The London-based group says in the past five years, Nigeria has been implicated in global seizures equating to 4,400 elephants and hundreds of thousands of endangered pangolins.

Aaron Olamilekan, a Nigerian wildlife advocate, spoke as he held a dead pangolin he bought from a group of local hunters arriving from a hunt on the outskirts of Abuja.

"They tell me why most of them hunt. It's based on poverty; there's no good job for them, there's no government support for them. So, they have no choice than to go into the wild," Olamilekan said.

The hunters sell the animals in exchange for cash.

But Olamilekan sometimes intercepts them, negotiates and rescues endangered species.

Animals returned to wild

He runs a sanctuary where he says animals can be resuscitated and nurtured before they're released into the wild.

"The ecosystem is being tampered with because all these animals have a role to play in our environment, so killing them will cause a future disaster," Olamilekan said.

Illegal hunting for trade is the major reason that endangered species such as elephants and pangolins are in constant decline.

Since 2015, Nigeria has been the main exit point for pangolin scales and elephant ivory from the continent to many parts of Asia, where they are prized for decorative purposes or their alleged but unproven medicinal uses.

Smugglers take ivory, scales

A recent report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) shows more than 30 tons of ivory and 167 tons of pangolin scales have been smuggled through the country in five years.

The EIA blames corruption by Nigerian border or port officials for the illegal trade. Shruti Suresh is a senior wildlife campaigner at EIA.

"Corruption which exists within certain public sectors is helping organized crime to thrive and traffic ivory, pangolin, and several other species." Suresh said. "We need political will at the highest level of government to prioritize this issue."

Nigeria is a member of several international conventions protecting endangered wildlife, including the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).

Laws rarely enforced

Nigerian authorities continue to pledge their commitment toward protecting wildlife even though laws meant to safeguard endangered species are rarely enforced.

The EIA wants Nigerian authorities to take stricter measures against poachers and smugglers, noting that uncontrolled trade during this period of the coronavirus pandemic could be potentially dangerous.

For the moment, wildlife advocate Olamilekan will be saving as many endangered animals as possible.

More here:
Endemic Corruption Is Reason Behind Alarming Wildlife Trafficking From Nigeria - Voice of America

Richland WA, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vivos Inc. (OTCQB: RDGL``), Vivos Inc (RDGL), a company that has developed an Yttrium-90 based injectable brachytherapy device, for the treatment of tumors in animals and in humans, today announced that it will be presenting at the 13th annual LD Micro Main Event investor conference on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 8:00 AM PST / 11:00 AM EST. Mike Korenko, CEO of Vivos Inc., will be presenting to a live virtual audience.

Register here:ve.mysequire.com/

The Main Event will feature a new and unique format, with companies presenting for 10 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A by a panel of investors and analysts.

"The time has finally come to do something different in the virtual conference world. Lets see if we can pull off something that can be enjoyed by both executives and investors alike, stated Chris Lahiji, Founder of LD, now a wholly owned subsidiary of SRAX, Inc.

The Main Event will take place on December 14th and 15th, exclusively on the Sequire Virtual Events platform.

View Vivos Incs profile here http://ldmicro.com/profile/RDGL

View Vivos Incs site here: http://www.RadioGel.com

About Vivos Inc. (OTCQB: RDGL)

Vivos Inc. has developed an Yttrium-90 based injectable brachytherapy device, for the treatment of tumors in animals (Isopet) and in humans (Radiogel). Brachytherapy uses highly localized radiation to destroy cancerous tumors by placing a radioactive isotope directly inside the treatment area using the companys proprietary hydrogel technology. The injection delivers therapeutic radiation from within the tumor without the entrance skin dose and associated side effects of treatment that characterize external-beam radiation therapy. This feature allows safe delivery of higher doses needed for treating both non-resectable and radiation-resistant cancers.

Radiogel is a hydrogel liquid containing tiny yttrium-90 phosphate particles that may be administered directly into a tumor. The hydrogel is an yttrium-90 carrier at room temperature that gels within the tumor interstitial spaces after injection to keep the radiation sources safely in place. The short-range beta radiation from yttrium-90 localizes the dose within the treatment area so that normal organs and tissues are not adversely affected.

Radiogel also has a short half-life delivering more than 90% of its therapeutic radiation within 10 days. This compares favorably to other available treatment options requiring up to six weeks or more to deliver a full course of radiation therapy. Therapy can be safely administered as an out-patient procedure and the patient may return home without subsequent concern for radiation dose to family members.

The Isopet Solutions division used university veterinary hospitals to demonstrate the safety and therapeutic effectiveness for different animal cancers. Testing on feline sarcoma at the Washington State University was completed in 2018 and testing on canine soft tissue sarcomas at the University of Missouri was completed in 2019.

In 2018 the Company obtained confirmation from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine that Isopet is classified as a medical device according to its intended use and means by which it achieves its intended purpose. The FDA also reviewed the product labeling which included canine and feline sarcomas as the initial indications for use. The FDA does not require pre-market approval for veterinary devices so no additional approval is required. Following the demonstration phase, Vivos is able to generate revenue through the sale of Isopet to University animal hospitals and private veterinary clinics.

Isopet for treating animals uses the same technology as RadioGel for treating humans. The Food and Drug Administration advised using different product names in order to avoid confusion and cross-use.

CONTACT:

Vivos Inc.Michael K. Korenko, Sc.D.President & CEOMKorenko@RadioGel.com

About LD Micro/SEQUIRELD Micro began in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource to the microcap world. What started as a newsletter highlighting unique companies, has transformed into the pre-eminent event platform in the space. For more information, please visitldmicro.com.

The upcoming Main Event will be highlighting a new format that will benefit both executives and the investors tuning in from all over the globe.

In September 2020, LD Micro, Inc. was acquired by SRAX, Inc., a financial technology company that unlocks data and insights for publicly traded companies. Through its premier investor intelligence and communications platform,Sequire, companies can track their investors behaviors and trends and use those insights to engage current and potential investors across marketing channels. For more information on SRAX, visitsrax.comandmysequire.com.

ContactsInvestor Relations Contact:Brett MaasHayden IR, LLCbrett@haydenir.com646-536-7331

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Vivos Inc to Present at The 13th Annual LD Micro Main Event Conference December 15, 2020 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time - GlobeNewswire

Astronauts are harvesting fresh radishes grown in space, a delicious prospect that also could help seed food production efforts for longer-term missions to the moon and Mars.

The Advanced Plant Habitat cultivates radishes, a plant that is nutritious, edible and has a short cultivation time.

On Monday, NASA flight engineer Kate Rubins pulled out 20 radish plants grown in the space station's Advanced Plant Habitat, wrapping them in foil for cold storage until they can make the voyage back to Earth next year.

Radishes are the latest type of fresh produce to be successfully grown and harvested in zero gravity, joining "Outredgeous" red romaine lettuce, green lettuce, Chinese cabbage, lentils and mustard, according to a NASA fact sheet.

"I've worked on APH since the beginning, and each new crop that we're able to grow brings me great joy because what we learn from them will help NASA send astronauts to Mars and bring them back safely," said Nicole Dufour, the Advanced Plant Habitat program manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in a news release.

Food for future space missions

Back on the ground, scientists at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida are growing radishes in a control group set for harvest on December 15. The researchers will compare the space-grown radishes to the veggies grown on Earth, checking on how space produce measures up on providing the minerals and nutrients astronauts need as they prepare for longer trips.

Meanwhile, astronauts will repeat the radish experiment in the heavens, planting and harvesting another round of radish crop to give scientists more data to draw from.

With their short cultivation time, radishes present potential advantages as a food source for future astronauts embarking on deep space missions in years to come. The radishes grow quickly, and they can reach full maturity in 27 days.

The root vegetables also don't require much maintenance from the crew as they grow.

astronaut and flight engineer Kate Rubins checks out radish plants growing on the space station as part of an experiment to evaluate nutrition and taste of the plants.

"Radishes provide great researchpossibilities by virtue of their sensitive bulb formation," said Karl Hasenstein, a professor of biology at the University of Louisiana and the principal investigator on the project, in a news release.

Researchers will analyze the effects of carbon dioxide on the radishes as well as how the vegetables acquire and distribute minerals, according to Hasenstein, who has run plant experiments with NASA since 1995.

Astronauts have grown 15 different types of plants on the station, including eight different types of leafy greens. And NASA has already tested more than 100 crops on Earth, identifying which candidates to try out next in space.

"Growing a range of crops helps us determine which plants thrive in microgravity and offer the best variety and nutritional balance for astronauts on long-duration missions," Dufour said.

Years of research with space crops

The latest experiments build upon ongoing research growing and harvesting plants in space.

Researchers at NASA began experiments using its Vegetable Production Systems growth chambers back in 2014 shortly after they were delivered to the space station.

Some of the early experiments with red romaine lettuce resulted in a paper, published this March in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science, showing that space lettuce was safe to eat.

In August 2015, NASA shared a video that features American astronauts Dr. Kjell Lindgren and Scott Kelly floating aboard the station, saying "Cheers" and eating the space-grown treat.

"Tastes good," Kelly said.

Getting space agriculture right matters because the nutrients in the prepackaged food that astronauts currently eat in space degrade over a period of time, NASA said.

Getting humans to Mars and back safely over a two- or three-year mission requires growing food along the way. That not only gives astronauts more of a vibrant supply of fresh nutrients on the voyage; it also serves an emotional need as they tend to crops that are both a figurative and literal taste of home, according to the agency.

The NASA Artemis program aims to land the first woman and next man on the moon in 2024, and to establish a sustained presence on the moon by 2028. From there, the agency will be poised to begin staging its next big leap, to Mars.

But before we make it to the red planet, we've first got to make a tasty green space salad.

CNN's Ashley Strickland contributed to this story.

Continued here:
Drake is selling a candle that smells like ... Drake, and more of this week's weirdest news - Napa Valley Register

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The stem cell therapy market is expected to grow by USD 588.22 mn, progressing at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period.

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The increase in awareness of stem cell therapy is one of the major factors propelling market growth. However, factors such as the high cost of clinical trials will hamper the market growth.

More details: https://www.technavio.com/report/stem-cell-therapy-market-industry-analysis

Stem Cell Therapy Market: Type Landscape

Based on the type, the allogeneic transplants segment is expected to witness lucrative growth during the forecast period.

Stem Cell Therapy Market: Geographic Landscape

By geography, North America is going to have a lucrative growth during the forecast period. About 51% of the markets overall growth is expected to originate from North America. The US and Canada are the key markets for the stem cell therapy market in North America.

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Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation by Type

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Analysis

Appendix

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavios report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavios comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Insights on the Global Stem Cell Therapy Market 2020-2024: COVID-19 Analysis, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Threats - Technavio - Business...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Asia Pacific Dry Eye Product Market to 2027- Covid-19 Impact and Regional Analysis by product ( Artificial tears, Antibiotic Drops, Hormone Drops and Others); Type (OTC Drugs, Prescription Drugs);and Country." report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Asia Pacific Dry Eye Product market is expected to reach US$ 1786.15 million by 2027 from US$ 1200.95 million in 2019. The market is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 5.3% from 2020 to 2027.

The growth of the market is driven by factors such as the growing the incidences and case of dry eye as well as rising the geriatric population across the globe. However, high significant amount of side effects of dry eye products and COVID-19 pandemic is likely to restrain the market growth to a certain extent.

Dry eye is a chronic syndrome and is a progressive depending upon the cause and severity. It is a condition when a person does not have tears to lubricate his or her eyes. Tears are an essential part of maintaining good health of the eye and assist in providing good vision. The syndrome is commonly seen among older people and is becoming common among people spending a long time in front of the computer. The factors that can cause dry eye include age, medications, environmental conditions, long term use of contact lenses. The conditions cannot be cured completely; however, it can be managed by using medical products.

So to treat such an unavoidable condition dry eye products and accessories being commonly used the products restores the water into the eye sack and lubrication takes up and condition retrieves. Now a days changing lifestyle among the people is the common cause of developing dry eye which ultimately boosts the demand for this segment product.

The products are been designed according to the need of a condition such as artificial drops, antibiotic drops, hormone drops.

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For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cy2oa7

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APAC Dry Eye Product Industry to 2027 - Adoption in Stem Cell Therapy Presents Opportunities - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

7 December 2020

Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's Hospital, London

In ancient times, theriac, a medical concoction made by Greeks that was thought to cure all illnesses, had spread all over the then known world. It took months to prepare a proper theriac and that, of course, made it expensive. Only rich people could afford it. The recipe for theriac kept changing over time, depending on the availability of ingredients. In medieval times, it included ground mummy. In the Venetian Republic, in addition to viper flesh and opium, it included exudate from the castor sacs of mature beavers. Today, the theriac recipe has lost its magic and mystique. Nearly all ingredients are chemically defined, along with their specific applications. For example, beaver castoreum has 24 compounds, mostly ketones, phenols and alcohols. We use it mostly in the perfume industry, while Swedes use castoreum to flavour their Bverhojt schnapps.

The theriac of old may have been explained away; but does have a modern equivalent. Today, theriac is called mesenchymal stem cells(MSC). MSCs can cure almost anything, we are told. Just name it: osteoarthritis, COVID-19, autism, and infertility. Before all of you who struggle with fertility rush to your nearest purveyor of this new miracle treatment, take a moment to read here what we actually know about MSCs, how they work, and what they can do. If you then still believe that they are the solution to your problems, go for it (Madonna fixed her knee cartilage with stem cells, did she not?). Good luck to you. If you change your mind, you'll be saving several thousands of pounds, that might be better spent on your Christmas shopping.

MSCs are adult stem cells traditionally found in the bone marrow, but are also found in multiple tissues of the body. These cellsare multipotent; they can differentiate only into cells types originating from the same germ layer, contributing to the lymphatic, circulatory or musculoskeletal systems. If you delve into the scientific literature, you will find reports claiming that scientists have been able to transdifferentiate MSCs into cells of ectodermal and endodermal tissues, just because they were able to detect one or two of these cell lineage markers. However, their presence alone is insufficient evidence.

MSCs have gained popularity for several reasons: 1) They had no specific markers, and nobody could prove whether the cells are indeed MSCs or not; 2) conservative forces, fighting the use of human embryonic stem cell(hESC) for research and therapy, bestowed power on MSCs with little or no evidence at all. With no ethical strings attached, MSCs were presented as being as biologically powerful as hESCs. The Vatican was even organising MSC-related stem cell conferences; and 3) they can be easily isolated from bone marrow or adipose tissue and re-injected back into the same person in a different site, circumventing any legal or medical issues attached to transferring biological material between patients as long as the procedure was done at the required safety standards with no apparent intent to harm (intentional harm of a patient's bank account might be considered an acceptable exception).

After years of fiddling with MSCs and trying to understand what they can do and how they work, it seems that the idea that stem cells could differentiate and be used to replace damaged tissue did not work as we expected. When injected into a human, their life is short, and engraftment is generally low; most of the MSCs end up stuck in the capillary network of the lungs. Some of them find a home in damaged tissue. Numerous studies have shown that MSCs can modulate the progression of inflammation and maintenance of tissue homeostasis via an array of immunosuppressive factors, cytokines, growth factors and differentiation factors. MSCs are recruited to the site of inflammation and there, in response to inflammatory cytokines, they suppress the activation and function of various cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems via a different mechanism.

Their remarkable immunomodulatory properties are used in the treatment of severe systemic inflammatory disorders such as steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease. What do these immunomodulatory properties have to do with fertility? How will they rejuvenate ovaries and revive the menstrual cycle?

For me, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to connect all the knowledge about MSCs with their application in fertility treatments. I am a stem cell scientist and I have worked with stem cells for more than 20 years. I have strong evidence-based reasons to argue that any stem cell therapy currently offered for fertility treatment would not work beyond a placebo effect.

I am also sure that many of you will have a different opinion.

Link:
Panacea of 21st century for ovarian rejuvenation - BioNews

Cold weather can have a significant impact on your health, particularly for those who are suffering from arthritis. As the temperature drops, bones usually become stiff, inflexible and creaking, which can heighten discomfort in the joints, making life of people with arthritis troublesome. In fact, anyone who suffers from arthritis pain can sense and predict the change in weather. Also Read - Arthritis: Smoking and other bad habits that can be deadly for your joints

Not only the cold weather increase stiffness and joint pain, it can also lead to increased anxiety, depression and isolation for patients with arthritis. Also Read - Dont delay your arthritis pain, seek timely intervention

So, here are some tips to ease joint pain, maintain your bone health and stay happy during the winters. Also Read - 5 home remedies and tips to combat winter-induced pain and joint stiffness

Keep your aching hands, knees and legs warm with gloves, tights or leggings, and boots. Add extra layers of clothing, if needed and especially when you go out in winter. But make sure it doesnt restrict your movement. More layers of clothes work better at trapping the body heat than wearing thicker clothes.

Dehydration can make you more sensitive to pain, as revealed by a 2015 study published in Experimental Physiology. Water flushes toxins out of your body, which can help fight inflammation. Also, water helps keep your joints well lubricated. Whats more, drinking water before a meal can promote weight loss. Studies have found significant improvement in people with knee arthritis when they lost weight loss.

Many people tend to hibernate and laze around during the winters. But staying active is crucial for people living with arthritis. It can help ease pain, increase strength and flexibility, and boost energy. Doctors recommend adults with arthritis to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week and two weekly sessions of strength training. Note: This advice is for those who have normal physical function and no other severe health conditions. If you want to avoid the winter chill, workout indoors.

A warm shower or soak in a tub, swimming in a heated pool, using heating pads, hot water bag, electric blankets these are some ways to reap the benefits of heat therapy. Heat can improve blood flow and help flush out pain-producing chemicals. It can also stimulate receptors in your skin that improve your pain tolerance. In addition, heat relaxes muscles, which in turn helps decrease spasms and reduce stiffness.

Less exposure to the sun makes it difficult to get enough vitamin D or sunshine vitamin in the winter. Studies have linked lower vitamin D levels with more severe clinical manifestations of rheumatic arthritis. Low vitamin D levels may also increase sensitivity to pain. Therefore, Vitamin D supplement is often recommended for arthritis patients. Talk to your doctor about your need for supplements. Meanwhile, you can add foods that contains vitamin D such as fatty fish like swordfish, mackerel, salmon, and tuna, and fortified products like orange juice, milk, and breakfast cereals to your diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which can be beneficial for people who have an inflammatory type of arthritis.

A study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Disease in 2013 found that people with rheumatoid arthritis who took omega-3s supplements had a reduction in joint pain. Other studies suggest that omega-3s may help rheumatoid arthritis patients lower their dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). People with rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of heart disease, and omega-3s are known for their role in promoting heart health.

Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids include avocado, flaxseeds, and walnuts.

Published : December 8, 2020 7:50 pm | Updated:December 8, 2020 8:04 pm

See original here:
Winter can exacerbate arthritis pain: Heres how to deal with it - TheHealthSite

Eat This, Not That!

One year ago, the holiday movie season was about to kick off, shopping centers were filled to the brink with people, and little kids were sitting on Santa's lap telling him what they wanted for Christmas. However, since COVID-19 became a threat to the health of Americans in early 2020, life as we know it has changed drastically. With a seemingly safe and effective vaccine just days to weeks away, many people are hoping there will be a return to normalcy within the next few months. On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, spoke with The Wall Street Journal's Jonathan D. Rockoff, revealing when he expects life to be "normal" again. In short, it depends on the actions of you: the American people.. Read on, and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had Coronavirus.We Could "Start Approaching Normality" by Q2/Q3, Says Dr. FauciWhile a vaccine will help us return to normalcy, it will only be effective if people actually get it. "I think that if we implement the vaccine program that I've just been describing with you, John, that we can do it in the back half of 2021," Fauci revealed."I believe if we get people vaccinated at a good rate, as we get into the open component where anybody can get vaccinated in April, May, June, July, I believe as we get to the end of the second quarter into the third quarter of the 2021, we can have a degree of protection community that we could start approaching normality in many of that over activities."So what will normal look like? It will involve "getting the CEOs"he mentioned CEOs because many were tuning into the Wall Street Journal livestream"to feel comfortable in getting people back in their establishments, having restaurants get in full capacity indoor, having some indoor functions that we can feel safe," such as theaters and places of entertainment and sports events.RELATED: 7 Tips You Must Follow to Avoid COVID, Say DoctorsNormality Depends on Enough People Taking the VaccineHowever, he reiterated that in order to get back to normal "towards the second half of 2021," we would need to "implement the vaccine program properly and aggressively." He sounds confident about the distribution. But there are hurdles, like convincing those who are anti-vaccine to take it. He's been promoting the safety of the vaccine to help spread the good word. "The data to prove it's safe and effective is seen first and only, and exclusively, by an independent data and safety monitoring board, not by the company, not by the federal government, but by an independent group of clinicians, vaccinologist immunologists, virologists, statisticians. They look at the data when the data shows, which it has, that the vaccine is safe and efficaciousIf you can get people to understand that, with an open mind, you will have essentially dissolved any reason that they might have for not getting vaccinated," he said. "And if they still don't want to get vaccinated, then I think there's something that we really can't overcomethat just inherently anti-vax."RELATED: Simple Ways to Avoid a Heart Attack, According to DoctorsHow to Stay Healthy During the PandemicUnfortunately, it is unlikely that COVID-19 will ever fully go away, and will forever linger. "I don't think we're going to eradicate it the way we did with smallpox, but I think we can do what we've done with polio and what we've done with measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases," he admitted.Until the vaccine takes into effect and there is herd immunity, public health measures will be crucial. Do everything you can to prevent gettingand spreadingCOVID-19 in the first place: Wear a face mask, get tested if you think you have coronavirus, avoid crowds (and bars, and house parties), practice social distancing, only run essential errands, wash your hands regularly, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don't miss these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.

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6 Things That Can Make Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms Worse - Yahoo Canada Shine On

A study examined factors that may be associated with poorer intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Immunosuppressive treatment for RA using glucocorticoids, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (tsDMARDs; e.g., JAK inhibitors) significantly improves disease activity and joint destruction; however, numerous comorbidities and complications, including infection, malignancy, and organ failure (cardiovascular disease [CVD], respiratory distress, and renal failure) remain associated with the increased mortality of RA patients compared with the general population, the researchers noted.

The retrospective study, published in BMC Rheumatology, consisted of 67 patients (47 were female) with RA admitted to the ICU for at least 48 hours between January 2008 and December 2017, who were assessed for 30-day mortality. Six patients were admitted to the ICU more than once during the study period, in which case only the first ICU admission was analyzed.

The median age at the time of admission was 70 years, and RA duration was 10 years. The five-year survival rate after ICU admission was 47%. The 30-day mortality rate was 22%, 90-day rate was 27%, and one-year rate was 37%. Most patients were admitted to the ICU due to infection (40%) and cardiovascular complications (24%). When in the ICU, the most common treatments were vasopressor (78%), mechanical ventilation (69%), and renal replacement (25%).

Two-thirds of the 30-day mortality patients died as a result of infection; factors associated with mortality were a significantly higher glucocorticoid dose, updated Charlsons comorbidity index (CCI), and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score.

According to laboratory data collected at admission, factors predictive of a significantly poorer prognosis were lower platelet number and total protein and higher creatinine and prothrombin time international normalized ratio (PT-INR). Upon multivariate analysis, factors that increased mortality risk following ICU admission were nonuse of csDMARDs, high updated CCI, increased APACHE II score, and prolonged PT-INR.

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When Admitted to the ICU, These Factors in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis May Increase Mortality Risk - DocWire News

New findings from a clinical utility study in Rheumatology International

A new study published in Rheumatology International demonstrates clinical utility of PrismRA test in guiding therapy selection for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Dr. James Mossell

Dr. James Mossell, DO is a Rheumatology Specialist in Tifton, GA and has over 31 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from New York Osteopathic Medicine - New York medical school in 1989 and completed his fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Florida. He is affiliated with medical facilities such as the Tift Regional Medical Center, Coffee Regional Medical Center, and Crisp Regional Hospital. He is also a fellow with the American College of Rheumatology.

WALTHAM, Mass., Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scipher Medicine, a precision immunology company matching patients with the most effective therapy, today announced findings from a clinical utility study published in Rheumatology International that the PrismRA test can lead to major changes in prescribing behaviors. When test results indicated a likelihood of non-response, up to 89% of providers shifted their proposed therapy from tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) to an alternative drug class based on the PrismRA score.

The majority of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients prescribed the worlds largest selling drug class, TNFi, do not adequately respond to treatment. PrismRA is a first-of-its-kind blood test that accurately predicts patients who will not have an adequate response to TNFi therapy so alternative effective therapy can be prescribed from day one, without first cycling through multiple TNFi drugs.

The results of this study clearly show that rheumatologists would change their medical management of RA patients if they had access to a predictive biomarker test like PrismRA, said James Mossell, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and an author of the study. Rheumatologists are eager to use precision medicine in complex autoimmune diseases such as RA and find high value in eliminating therapies that will likely fail in certain patients before selecting a more optimal targeted therapy.

The study surveyed 248 rheumatologists as to the clinical utility of a TNFi non-responder biomarker. A vast majority found the test easy to interpret and clinically useful, selection of TNFi therapy declined by 81% (from 79.8% to 15.3%) and 86% (from 79.8% to 11.3%) respectively when presented with a test result indicating a high or very high signal of non-response.

The clinical breakthrough enabled by PrismRA means more patients will be prescribed effective therapy sooner resulting in significantly improved health outcomes, said Alif Saleh, CEO of Scipher Medicine. We are pleased this study demonstrates the support of PrismRA by the rheumatology community.

About Scipher Medicine

Scipher Medicine, a precision immunology company, holds the fundamental belief that patients deserve simple answers to treatment options based on scientifically backed data. Leveraging our proprietary Network Medicine platform and artificial intelligence, we commercialize blood tests revealing a persons unique molecular disease signature and match such signature to the most effective therapy, ensuring optimal treatment from day one. The unprecedented amount of patient molecular data generated from our tests further drives the discovery and development of novel and more effective therapeutics. We partner with payers, providers, and pharma along the health care value chain to bring precision medicine to autoimmune diseases. Visit http://www.sciphermedicine.com and follow Scipher on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About PrismRA

PrismRA, a molecular signature test, is a revolutionary advancement bringing precision medicine to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, which affects 20 million patients globally. From a routine blood draw, the PrismRA test analyzes an individual's molecular signature, helping identify who is unlikely to adequately respond to TNFi therapy, the worlds largest selling drug class, so non-responders can be prescribed alternative effective therapy. Providers now have objective data to guide therapeutic decision-making and give patients the best chance of achieving treatment targets and improving clinical outcomes. For more information, please visit http://www.PrismRA.com

Media Contact:Alexander PettiAlexander@TakeOnCommunications.com201-978-4882

Scipher Medicine company contact:Andrea Mooreandrea.moore@scipher.com801.209.1175

Photos accompanying this release are available athttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/63fce27f-c5e3-421b-a9c6-e57d9e2ffa99https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a651586-0fb6-433c-af6a-bb41baeb2b0c

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New Study Demonstrates Clinical Utility of PrismRA Test in Guiding Therapy Selection for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients - GlobeNewswire

Among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is a correlation between the cortical thickness relative to the transverse diameter of third metacarpal bone and bone mineral density (BMD), suggesting this can be a promising screening tool for osteoporosis in this population, according to study results published in Bone.

Patients with RA are at increased risk for osteoporosis and fragility fractures. While dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, it is not widely available in many countries worldwide. Here the researchers sought to determine whether a screening index for BMD loss can be used as a substitute to the DXA method.

The Sharp/van der Heijde Scores were calculated using X-ray pictures of both sides of the hand. All patients with RA treated at Yoshii Hospital, Kochi, Japan, between April 2014 and September 2019, were subjected to the routine administration of X-ray pictures of the bilateral hands and feet at the first consultation and thereafter in order to calculate Sharp/van der Heijde Scores. Cortical thickness and the transverse diameter of the mid-portion of the metacarpal bone of the right middle finger were calculated and researchers determined the Cortical Thickness Ratio (CTR) as the cortical diameter relative to the transverse diameter. At the same time, BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured.

Using the receiver operation characteristics (ROC) technique, the cut-off index of the CTR to the BMD was calculated. In addition, sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve, and the odds ratio for T-score < -2.5 were evaluated.

The cross-sectional study included 300 patients with RA (87.4% women, mean age 73.9 years). The mean transverse width of the third metacarpal bone was 7.3 mm and the thickness of the cortex was 2.0 mm, thus the average SD CTR was 0.2790.124.

There was a significant correlation between CTR and BMD in both the lumbar spine and femoral neck according to DXA testing.

In ROC analysis, the cut-off index of the CTR was 0.25 for the lumbar spine and femoral neck. For the lumbar spine, the sensitivity was 67.9% and the specificity was 83.0%, with an area under the curve of 0.78, and an odds ratio of 4.17 (95% CI, 2.51-6.92). For the femoral neck, sensitivity was 76.1%, specificity was 81.6%, the area under the curve was 0.81 with an odds ratio of 4.90 (95% CI, 2.75-8.73).

The index was examined in treatment nave patients in order to eliminate confounding of drug interventions, and the data suggested the CTR is a potential useful tool for the initial screening of osteoporosis for patients who are nave for osteoporosis and RA treatment.

[T]he CTR may be a strong candidate marker for screening for osteoporosis in patients with RA with the index less than 0.25. These findings may provide physicians with the diagnosis of osteoporosis in patients with RA, concluded the researchers.

Yoshii I, Akita K. Cortical thickness relative to the transverse diameter of third metacarpal bone reflects bone mineral density in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Bone. 2020;137:115405. doi:10.1016/j.bone.2020.115405

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New Screening Tool for Osteoporosis in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis - Rheumatology Advisor

The Scandinavian countries may look rather similar when watching from a distance. However, if you zoom in on details, the differences become manifest.

This has been a returning truth in the more than ten years that the NORD-STAR collaboration has been running.

Initially, we saw the similarities: All countries (including the Netherlands, which joined the collaboration half-way through) had a history of high quality research in the field of rheumatoid arthritis and an idea of how to treat this debilitating and destructive inflammatory disease best. Investigator-initiated trials such as Fin-RACo and Neo-RACo (Finland), Swe-fot (Sweden), ARCTIC (Norway), CIMESTRA and OPERA (Denmark) and BeSt (The Netherlands) have contributed important knowledge to the field. Despite the modest sizes of our countries, our national quality registries (ARTIS, DANBIO, ICEBIO, NORDMARD, ROB-FIN) have informed clinicians around the world about treatment outcomes for real world patients with inflammatory arthritis. Moreover, in all countries biological drugs with different modes of action were widely available due to a tax-paid system for reimbursement.

Despite our previous research at the national level, we were stuck with an important, unanswered clinical question: What are the benefits and harms of the different biological therapies compared with active conventional treatment in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis?

The question had multiple aspects: The shorter term ability of the different therapies to induce remission was key. However, longer term results regarding the prevention of joint damage and safety profile were also important. Would there be differences in the flare rates between the drugs if treatment was de-escalated? Would spin-off projects based on the study biobank pave the way for more tailored treatments?

A cross-national collaboration was needed to answer these questions with sufficient statistical power. For our investigator-initiated trial, we needed more than 800 treatment-naive patients randomized to four different treatments, turning our study into one of the largest ever in rheumatoid arthritis.

This was when the differences between our countries became evident. Defining the active conventional therapy was a hard nut to crack in the planning of the design. Despite very similar EU-based legislation across the countries, bureaucratic obstacles challenged the approval from ethics, medical and data authorities. Securing public funding for the study infrastructure was an important milestone in the early phases, as was the willingness of two of three companies to provide us with free study drug.

We are proud to present the first results in The BMJ. Our 24-week results highlight the efficacy and safety of active conventional treatment based on methotrexate combined with corticosteroids, with nominally better results for the biologic abatacept.

The NORD-STAR research network has solved challenges, coped with frustrations, shared the joy and excitement during the various phase of the project. Ten years so far, and probably ten more years before we have the last results.

We believe the currentand futureresults from the NORD-STAR trial and spin-off projects will provide the medical community with important insights on how to best care for patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

Merete Lund Hetland, Professor in Rheumatology, Consultant, and Head of the DANBIO steering committee, Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Research (COPECARE) and DANBIO, Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark.

Competing interests: Please see research paper for more details.

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Merete Lund Hetland: A cross country collaboration to assess the benefits and harms biological therapies for early rheumatoid arthritis - The BMJ -...

In mid-November, an arthritis drug with a tricky name hit a pandemic milestone then slipped back into relative obscurity.

The drug, baricitinib, was granted an emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration to treat a subset of hospitalized Covid-19 patients in combination with another medication, the antiviral remdesivir. It is one of only a handful of treatments to have earned the agencys green light.

But baricitinibs reception by the medical community has been lukewarm. It doesnt work all that well, for one thing, and comes with side effects, such as blood clots. And at a cost of roughly $1,500 per patient, many doctors dont know when it would make sense to use the drug, which might have overlapping roles with cheap and widely available steroids like dexamethasone.

In a clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, hospitalized Covid-19 patients treated with baricitinib and remdesivir recovered one day faster than patients who had received remdesivir alone.

I think its really a nothing burger, said Dr. Ilan Schwartz, an infectious disease physician at the University of Alberta. Were talking about adding a drug that reduces the time to clinical improvement by one day, in a disease that takes weeks to recover.

These results, which were announced through a series of news releases by drugmaker Eli Lilly, have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Kristen Porter Basu, a spokeswoman for the company, wrote in an email that a more detailed analysis would be published very soon.

When an emergency authorization has been released but the data have not, doctors are caught in a difficult place, said Dr. Manuela Cernadas, a critical care physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. Its not entirely clear where this drug fits in our armamentarium of drugs were comfortable using.

Baricitinib is a repurposed arthritis treatment that, like a steroid, dampens inflammation, which, in severe cases of Covid-19, can spiral out of control and destroy healthy tissues. The drug acts like a molecular muffler, preventing the cells from responding to alarm signals that could make the bodys immune response spiral out of control.

The N.I.H. trial was designed to test whether baricitinib could boost the benefits of remdesivir, now the standard of care for Covid-19 patients. Remdesivir by itself speeds recovery by several days. The researchers found that the addition of baricitinib clipped an additional day off a patients recovery time and kept a few extra people off ventilators. But these and other results largely failed to impress experts, many of whom said the drug would need to have far bigger benefits to outweigh its price tag and potential harms.

It seems more incremental than blockbuster, said Dr. Taison Bell, a critical care physician at the University of Virginia, who was involved in the clinical trial. Although Dr. Bell described baricitinib as a reasonable addition to the Covid treatment toolbox, and even deserving of an emergency approval, I dont think its a game changer, he said.

Still, the findings were enough to convince the F.D.A., which issued an emergency authorization on Nov. 19. The drug is now allowed to be paired with remdesivir, but only to hospitalized patients who need supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation or other breathing support.

The agencys limited clearance aligns with the subset of patients in the N.I.H. trial who benefited the most from the dual drug combo, said Dr. Andre Kalil, an infectious disease physician at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and one of the lead researchers on the trial.

But this same population of patients people sick enough to need some form of breathing support would also be great candidates for steroids like dexamethasone, said Dr. Phyllis Tien, an infectious disease physician at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dexamethasone, unlike baricitinib, has been shown in studies to curb mortality in severely sick Covid-19 patients. A generic drug, its also cheap, costing cents or dollars per day of treatment, and has for months been a part of the coronavirus treatment playbook.

Im asking myself, Who would I think about using baricitinib in, over dexamethasone? Dr. Tien said.

But Dr. Boghuma Kabisen Titanji, an infectious disease physician at Emory University who pioneered early studies of baricitinib against the coronavirus, offered a more sobering perspective on dexamethasone. Steroids are blunt knives, she said, quashing inflammation on a broader scale than drugs like baricitinib do. Thats why steroids come with a host of unwanted side effects, including exacerbating conditions like diabetes or osteoporosis, she said.

The family of drugs that includes baricitinib, on the other hand, may offer more therapeutic precision, Dr. Titanji said. Theres also been some evidence that baricitinib might be able to block the coronavirus from entering cells.

Confused by the terms used about how to treat Covid-19?Let us help:

Still, baricitinib comes with its own problems, such as raising the risk of blood clots already an issue in many cases of Covid-19. That does give you pause, Dr. Cernadas said.

Both baricitinib and dexamethasone also blunt immune function, increasing the likelihood that other viruses or bacteria might infiltrate the bodies of the people theyre used in. But of the two, dexamethasone is the devil you know, said Dr. Lauren Henderson, a pediatric rheumatologist at Boston Childrens Hospital. I would probably not turn to baricitinib as a first line.

Dr. Tien and other experts echoed this sentiment, saying they would be likely to choose dexamethasone over baricitinib when treating someone with a serious case of Covid-19, unless there was an obvious reason their patient might respond poorly to steroids.

A head-to-head comparison between baricitinib and dexamethasone might clarify which patients would be better off taking one drug over another. At the end of November, the N.I.H. announced a trial that will compare outcomes between hospitalized Covid-19 patients who receive either a combination of remdesivir and dexamethasone, or a combination of remdesivir and baricitinib. But Dr. Schwartz and others raised ethical concerns about this trial, which he said would by definition deprive some patients of a lifesaving steroid therapy.

Eli Lilly is also running a trial to study the effects of baricitinib on its own in hospitalized patients. In this study, which isnt likely to finish until next summer, all participants will receive dexamethasone.

Link:
Baricitinib: Doctors Are Skeptical of This Covid-19 Drug From Eli Lilly - The New York Times

UPPER NYACK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CreakyJoints, the digital arthritis community for patients and caregivers worldwide and part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF), today announced the launch of eRheum.org, a new digital destination to help patients get the most from their telehealth appointment. Data presented at the 2020 ACR Convergence by CreakyJoints from our ArthritisPower supported Autoimmune COVID-19 Project showed that as the pandemic ramped up (post-March 15, 2020) return patient appointments dropped and telehealth visits increased, but not enough to overcome the frequency of missed/cancelled in-person appointments. This is a problem because disruptions in rheumatology care slow the rate at which patients can be diagnosed and treated, adversely affecting health outcomes and chronic disease management. Optimizing the availability and effectiveness of telehealth appointments will help with continuity of care.

After consulting with rheumatologists and speaking with our patient members, we recognized the urgent need to help patients understand how to access telehealth and make the most of their virtual appointment, said Louis Tharp, executive director and co-founder of CreakyJoints and the Global Healthy Living Foundation. Written in patient-friendly language, eRheum defines telehealth and how rheumatologists utilize it, provides patients with access to difference video conferencing portals to try with their physician, and explains how to make the most of your limited face-to-face time with your physician during the appointment itself.

Taking Advantage of Telehealth

In May of 2020, GHLF asked its chronic disease patient community to rate their experience with telehealth over the previous two months on a scale of 1-10 (where 10 = excellent experience). Seventy-three percent of respondents said they have used telehealth in the past two months and of those who have used it, they rated with experience as eight. Given the positive response, CreakyJoints built eRheum.org with arthritis patient input and then shared it with provider groups to encourage them to share it with patients in their care. In addition to the main portal, eRheum has been adopted and co-branded by the Association of Women in Rheumatology (AWIR) and the Rheumatology Nurses Society (RNS).

"Weve taught our patients who are on immunosuppressants for so long to avoid communicable diseases, particularly during flu season. This pandemic has really affected their willingness to venture out of their homes, even to medical appointments. Understandably, those with chronic diseases like inflammatory arthritis, who also already belong to a group with some of the highest risks for COVID-19 serious complications, such as blacks, Hispanics, the elderly, or those who are overweight, are most reluctant to venture out, said RNS President Cathy Patty-Resk, MSN, RN-BC, CPNP-PC. We introduced eRheum to our nurses and advanced practice providers in our organization because we want to continue to be the resource they need for their patients. The tools available on eRheum promote confidence in patients to ask their questions to get the care they need to continue effectively managing their condition.

AWIR is dedicated to improving the health of all patients with rheumatic diseases and bridging the gaps experienced by patients from diverse backgrounds. Virtual care allows us to bring our caring to our patients wherever they are, and wherever we are. We embrace this initiative to optimize care for our patients, said Grace C Wright M.D. PhD., President of AWIR.

Understanding Telehealth Best Practices

Recently, the University of Alabama at Birmingham announced that the university and collaborators such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and CreakyJoints and its ArthritisPower Research Registry received a two-year, $400,000 grant from the American College of Rheumatologys Rheumatology Research Foundation to support telehealth-delivered healthcare. The Telehealth-delivered Healthcare to Improve Care (THRIVE) projects primary investigator, Swamy Venuturupalli, M.D., is the recipient of this years ACRs Norman B. Gaylis, M.D., Clinical Research Award, and the study is slated to begin in January of 2021.

THRIVE seeks to evaluate the quality of telehealth services when provided to a rheumatology patient in their home and deliver recommendations for physicians about best practices regarding what telehealth-related care delivery should include, how to deliver it, and how to standardize high quality care. It will produce a peer-reviewed white paper that describes those best practices. Overall, the goal is to expand the impact of rheumatology by increasing patient access to care, especially among those marginalized or most at risk by the COVID-19 pandemic. CreakyJoints will produce a patient-facing training video that will show rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients how to perform joint self-assessment and compare its accuracy with an in-person clinician joint exam (the gold standard).

Telehealth offers patients the flexibility they need to stay in contact with their doctors, but this works only when both parties understand how to get the most out of the appointment, said W. Benjamin Nowell, PhD., Director, Patient-Centered Research at CreakyJoints, principal investigator of the ArthritisPower Research Registry, and a co-investigator of the THRIVE study. Telehealth in rheumatology has some unique features and this study is an important complement to eRheum as it enables us to further enhance the telehealth tools and education we offer to rheumatologists and people living with arthritis. Ultimately, we want to do all we can to ensure productive and satisfying telehealth appointments for arthritis patients and their doctors.

About CreakyJoints

CreakyJoints is a digital community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, advocacy, and patient-centered research. We represent patients in English and Spanish through our popular social media channels, our websites http://www.CreakyJoints.org, http://www.creakyjoints.org.es/, http://www.creakyjoints.org.au, and the 50-State Network, which includes more than 1,500 trained volunteer patient, caregiver and healthcare activists.

As part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, CreakyJoints also has a patient-reported outcomes registry called ArthritisPower (ArthritisPower.org) with more than 29,000 consented arthritis patients who track their disease while volunteering to participate in longitudinal and observational research. CreakyJoints also publishes the popular Raising the Voice of Patients series, which are downloadable patient-centered educational and navigational tools for managing chronic illness. It also hosts PainSpot (PainSpot.org), a digital risk assessment tool for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. For more information and to become a member (for free), visit http://www.CreakyJoints.org.

Find us on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creakyjoints and https://www.facebook.com/GlobalHealthyLivingFoundation/ Twitter: @GHLForg, @CreakyJoints, #CreakyChatsInstagram: @creaky_joints, @creakyjoints_aus, @creakyjoints_espTikTok: globalhealthylivingfndLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ghlf/

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CreakyJoints Launches eRheum.org to Educate Patients on Getting the Most From Their Telehealth Appointment - Business Wire

The risk for increased COVID-19 severity in people with type 1 diabetes appears similar to that of type 2 diabetes, contrary to some official advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new finding indicates that people with both types should be priority for receiving a vaccine, investigators say.

The study is the first to prospectively evaluate both inpatients and outpatients and to examine COVID-19 severity factors in addition to death in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes separately, and was published online December 2 in Diabetes Care.

Among the patients, who were seen at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville between March and August 2020, those with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes had between a three- and fourfold greater risk for COVID-19 hospitalization and greater illness severity than people without diabetes after adjustments for age, race, and a number of other risk factors.

This finding is important since as of December 1, 2020, the CDC has classified the diabetes types differently in terms of underlying medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19.

Adults of any age with type 2 diabetes are considered "at increased risk of severe illness" from the virus that causes COVID-19 whereas CDC says those with type 1 "might be at an increased risk."

Lead author of the new paper Justin M. Gregory, MD, told Medscape Medical News: "I think this needs revision based on the current evidence. I think the data presented in our study and that of Barron et al in Lancet Endocrinology 2020 indicate the need to place type 1 diabetes at parity with type 2 diabetes."

"These studies indicate both conditions carry an adjusted odds ratio of three to four when compared with people without diabetes for hospitalization, illness severity, and mortality," he stressed.

There were no phase 3 vaccine data available for the vaccine at the time that Gregory, of the Ian M. Burr Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, and colleagues were writing their manuscript in late summer, so the article does not mention this.

But now, Gregory says, "Based on the initial press releases from Pfizer and Moderna, I am now optimistic that these vaccines might mitigate the excess morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 experienced by patients with diabetes."

"I am eager to see what we learn on December 10 and 17 [the scheduled dates for the meetings of the US Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee to review the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, respectively]."

But with the winter pandemic surge in the meantime, "Our investigation suggests that as COVID-19 hospitalizations rise, patients with both type 1 and 2 diabetes will comprise a disproportionally higher number of those admissions and, once hospitalized, demonstrate a greater degree of illness severity," he and his colleagues say.

"In light of these data, we call on our colleagues to emphasize the importance of social distancing measures and hand hygiene, with particular emphasis on patients with diabetes, including those in the most vulnerable communities whom our study affirms will face the most severe impact."

The new study data came from electronic health records at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, comprising 137 primary care, urgent care, and hospital facilities where patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 regardless of the reason for their visit.

Between March 17 and August 7, 2020, a total of 6451 tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 273 had type 2 diabetes and 40 had type 1 diabetes.

Children younger than 18 years accounted for 20.0% of those with type 1 diabetes and 9.4% of those without diabetes, but none of the type 2 group. The group with type 2 diabetes was considerably older than the type 1 diabetes and no-diabetes groups, 58 years versus 37 and 33 years, respectively.

Before adjustment for baseline characteristics that differed between groups, patients with type 1 diabetes appeared to have a risk for hospitalization and greater illness severity that was intermediate between the group with no diabetes and the group with type 2 diabetes, the researchers say.

But after adjustment for age, race, sex, hypertension, smoking, and body mass index, people with type 1 diabetes had odds ratios of 3.90 for hospitalization and 3.35 for greater illness severity, which was similar to risk in type 2 diabetes (3.36 and 3.42, respectively), compared to those without diabetes.

The investigators then conducted a detailed chart review for 37 of the 40 patients with type 1 diabetes and phone surveys with 15 of them.

The majority (28) had not been hospitalized, and only one was hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) within 14 days of positive SARS-CoV-2 testing.

This contrasts with a report from the T1D Exchange, in which nearly half of 33 patients with type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 had been hospitalized with DKA. The reason for the discrepancy may be that more severe patients would more likely be referred to the T1D Exchange Registry, Gregory and colleagues hypothesize.

Clinical factors associated with COVID-19 severity (P < .05) in their study included a prior hypertension diagnosis, higher A1c, at least one prior DKA admission in the past year, and not using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Hospitalizations were twice as likely and illness severity nearly twice as great among those with type 1 diabetes who were Black versus White. Just 8% of those with private insurance were hospitalized, compared with 60% of those with public insurance and 67% with no insurance (P = .001).

"Whereas previous reports have indicated proportionally higher rates of hospitalizations from COVID-19 among Black patients and those with public insurance, this study is the first to show a similar finding in the population with type 1 diabetes," Gregory and colleagues write.

Only 9% of patients using a CGM were hospitalized versus 47% who used blood glucose meters (P < .016). Similarly, hospitalizations occurred in 6% using an insulin pump versus 33% using multiple daily injections (P < .085).

But they note, "Our analysis cannot exclude the possibility that greater amounts of diabetes technology use are a surrogate for higher socioeconomic status."

This research was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, JDRF, and the Appleby Foundation. The authors have reported no relevant financial relationships.

Diabetes Care. Published online December 2, 2020. Abstract

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Prioritize COVID-19 Vaccination in Both Types of Diabetes, Say Docs - Medscape

The University of Kentucky Public Relations & Strategic Communications Office provides a weekly health column available for use and reprint by news media. This week's column is by Laura Hieronymus, a doctor of nursing, master licensed diabetes educator and the associate director of education and quality services at the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center and Daniel Stinnett a registered dietitian and master licensed diabetes educator in the Bluegrass Care Clinic.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 7, 2020) Americans savor winter holiday meals; however, not always in a good way. Statistics show the December holiday season is one of the top three in terms of food consumption with the average adult taking in about 3,000 calories in one meal. Additional calories throughout the day can add up to two and a half times what an average adult needs for their daily energy needs. When you have diabetes, the added intake can affect blood glucose levels and potentially lead to symptoms such as fatigue, sluggishness, and even weight gain. During the holiday season, an overabundance of foods is often the rule rather than the exception. The following strategies may be helpful as you navigate your food intake:

Holiday celebrations often include beverages with alcohol. If you choose to drink do so in moderationgenerally considered no more than two drinks per day for men and one per day for women. Lighten up with lite beer, a wine spritzer, or calorie-free mixers. Avoid those specialty drinks such as Egg Nog (300+ calories), White Russian (4.5 ounces, 170+ calories), and 12 ounces of Christmas Ale (7.5% alcohol, 200+ calories) can be calorie-laden. Track your alcohol intake and avoid drinking on an empty stomach. If you become less attentive you will likely relax your focus on your overall calorie intake of food. Dont drink and drive.

Remember you can always counterbalance those extra holiday calories by staying active. Walk some extra steps after you eat, participate in interactive games or dance to your favorite music.

Stay informed by monitoring your blood glucose to help you make better decisions. Tomorrow is another day, so if things dont go as planned, learn from your experience and determine what you might do differently next time.

Above all, be safe and stay healthy. And, in the year of the 2020 pandemic do yourself and others a favor by staying socially distant, washing your hands, and wearing your mask. We all win.

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Diabetes and Healthful Holiday Strategies | UKNow - UKNow

By Tom McLaughlin

Successful diabetes management may soon begin closer to home with the help of easily accessible, online interactive learning thanks to a new Rutgers UniversityCamden research project.

The research project teaches family members communication strategies to help their loved ones manage Type 2 diabetes successfully.

The innovative Family Members as Coaches for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes pilot project, funded by the New Jersey Health Foundation, teaches people with Type 2 diabetes and their family members a host of effective communication strategies in order to help their loved ones manage the disease successfully.

Most diabetes management occurs in the home and with the help and sometimes hindrance of family members, says Kristin August, associate professor of psychology and director of the Health Sciences Center at RutgersCamden. Consequently, our focus is on figuring out if family members can be versed in more positive forms of communication that will ultimately lead to better diabetes management and improved family functioning.

The research project partners RutgersCamden with Cooper University Health Care, Jefferson Health, and Virtua Health to bring together small groups of dyads pairs comprised of a person with Type 2 diabetes and a family member for four monthly, virtual sessions. The participants learn communication strategies such as active listening and providing positive feedback, among others. The patients behaviors and attitudes are assessed via surveys and focus groups at the beginning of the intervention, immediately following it, and three months later.

August notes that most diabetes management occurs in the home and with the help and sometimes hindrance of family members.

Diabetes education helps patients gain the tools necessary to manage their diabetes successfully, says August, who leads the project with Kathleen Jackson, a clinical assistant professor in the Rutgers School of NursingCamden. Coaching, which involves a structured, supportive relationship, helps them to become more confident and motivated in their abilities to follow their regimen. We posit that the most effective coaches can be patients family members.

The first cohort of 11 dyads attended the monthly meetings from October 2019 through March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the sessions, data collection, and recruitment to a standstill. The researchers then adapted the project to implement virtual sessions, which began this November.

According to August, they spent several months figuring out the logistics of hosting the group sessions, breakout rooms, and one-on-one conversations. They also modified visual aids to present the information on a computer, and utilized an existing, online version of their assessment survey.

The RutgersCamden researchers further taught participants how to use the software and to minimize distractions in their home environment. Erika Pitzer, a senior health sciences major and one of four RutgersCamden undergraduate students assisting August on the project notes that the dyads and the diabetes educator are still in the same virtual room together and are thus still able to build a solid rapport.

Kathleen Jackson, a clinical assistant professor in the Rutgers School of NursingCamden, leads the project with August.

I was actually surprised at how well they all adapted to the online platform, says the Cumberland County resident. The participants were all talking and asking questions of one another, and not just the facilitator.

August says that Pitzer and her fellow RutgersCamden students have been particularly vital to the virtual implementation of the project. In addition to their regular responsibilities conducting literature reviews, taking notes on the sessions, transcribing what was said, and offering their own perspectives of what transpired the students have been busy recruiting patients since the in-person diabetes education classes were canceled. That includes developing a project Facebook page, creating a recruitment video, and personally reaching out to prospective participants and other diabetes programs across the state.

In the long run, we may be able to reach even more people with this virtual implementation of the program, says August. This is particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic. People with diabetes have a higher risk for severe illness, so managing their condition right now is more important than ever.

As it turns out, the RutgersCamden students are learning invaluable life skills as well. Pitzer notes that the switch to remote learning and a virtual implementation of the research project has required her to strengthen her focus, organizational skills, and overall resilience.

Erika Pitzer, a senior health sciences major, is one of four RutgersCamden undergraduate students assisting researchers on the project.

Its a challenge, but I am better because of this course, she says. As a student, that will translate to the rest of my courses and even my future career in medicine.

She credits August, as well as RutgersCamdens supportive academic environment including her advisors in the Honors College for making the transition to remote instruction easy for students.

I have never felt alone in that transition, she says. I am constantly reminded of the resources available on campus and my Honors College advisors are always there to answer even the silliest, smallest questions. There is always constant communication.

The RutgersCamden researchers will report findings on the diabetes family coaching project next November. However, preliminary survey data show that patients feel empowered to have a person available to help coach them through their diabetes management. Moreover, the patients felt that the positive communication strategies were beneficial to their personal relationships in general.

Funded by a Rutgers Community Design for Health and Wellness award, the researchers further plan to host focus groups with primary-care offices in spring 2021 to assess the ability to introduce the program in those settings, as part of a larger-scale implementation of this project. The long-term goal, says August, is to supplement diabetes education more generally with coaching and a package of informational materials for diabetes programs as well as public health programs to use.

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Innovative Research Project Teaches Families How to Manage Type 2 Diabetes Together - Rutgers-Camden NewsNow

Peripheral neuropathy is common in US adults and is associated with an increased risk of death, even in the absence of diabetes, researchers report today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The findings do not necessarily mean that doctors should implement broader screening for peripheral neuropathy at this time, however, the investigators say.

"Doctors don't typically screen for peripheral neuropathy in persons without diabetes," said senior author Elizabeth Selvin, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, in an email.

"Our study shows that peripheral neuropathy as assessed by decreased sensation in the feet is common, even in people without diabetes," Selvin explained. "It is not yet clear whether we should be screening people without diabetes since we don't have clear treatments, but our study does suggest that this condition is an underrecognized condition that is associated with poor outcomes."

Patients with diabetes typically undergo annual foot examinations that include screening for peripheral neuropathy, but that's not the case for most adults in the absence of diabetes.

"I don't know if we can make the jump that we should be screening people without diabetes," said first author Caitlin W. Hicks, MD, assistant professor of surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Right now, we do not exactly know what it means in the people without diabetes, and we definitely do not know how to treat it. So, screening for it will tell us that this person has this and is at higher risk of mortality than someone who doesn't, but we do not know what to do with that information yet."

Nevertheless, the study raises the question of whether physicians should pay more attention to peripheral neuropathy in people without diabetes, said Hicks, who is the director of research at the university's diabetic foot and wound service.

To examine associations between peripheral neuropathy and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in US adults, Hicks and colleagues analyzed data from 7116 adults aged 40 years or older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2004.

The study included participants who underwent monofilament testing for peripheral neuropathy. During testing, technicians used a standard 5.07 Semmes-Weinstein nylon monofilament to apply slight pressure to the bottom of each foot at three sites. If participants could not correctly identify where pressure was applied, the test was repeated. After participants gave two incorrect or undeterminable responses for a site, the site was defined as insensate. The researchers defined peripheral neuropathy as at least one insensate site on either foot.

The researchers determined deaths and causes of death using death certificate records from the National Death Index through 2015.

In all, 13.5% of the participants had peripheral neuropathy, including 27% of adults with diabetes and 11.6% of adults without diabetes. Those with peripheral neuropathy were older, were more likely to be male, and had lower levels of education, compared with participants without peripheral neuropathy. They also had higher BMI, were more often former or current smokers, and had a higher prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and cardiovascular disease.

During a median follow-up of 13 years, 2128 participants died, including 488 who died of cardiovascular causes.

The incidence rate of all-cause mortality per 1000 person-years was 57.6 in adults with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy, 34.3 in adults with peripheral neuropathy but no diabetes, 27.1 in adults with diabetes but no peripheral neuropathy, and 13.0 in adults without diabetes or peripheral neuropathy.

Among participants with diabetes, the leading cause of death was cardiovascular disease (31% of deaths), whereas among participants without diabetes, the leading cause of death was malignant neoplasms (27% of deaths).

After adjustment for age, sex, race, or ethnicity, and risk factors such as cardiovascular disease, peripheral neuropathy was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.49) and cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.66) in participants with diabetes. In participants without diabetes, peripheral neuropathy was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (HR, 1.31), but its association with cardiovascular mortality was not statistically significant.

The association between peripheral neuropathy and all-cause mortality persisted in a sensitivity analysis that focused on adults with normoglycemia.

The study confirms findings from prior studies that examined the prevalence of loss of peripheral sensation in populations of older adults with and without diabetes, said Elsa S. Strotmeyer, PhD, MPH, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "The clinical significance of the loss of peripheral sensation in older adults without diabetes is not fully appreciated," she said.

A limitation of the study is that peripheral neuropathy was not a clinical diagnosis. "Monofilament testing at the foot is a quick clinical screen for decreased lower-extremity sensation that likely is a result of sensory peripheral nerve decline," Strotmeyer said.

Another limitation is that death certificates are less accurate than medical records for determining cause of death.

"Past studies have indicated that peripheral nerve decline is related to common conditions in aging such as the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, cancer treatment, and physical function loss," Strotmeyer said. "Therefore it is not surprising that is related to mortality as these conditions in aging are associated with increased mortality. Loss of peripheral sensation at the foot may also be related to fall injuries, and mortality from fall injuries has increased dramatically in older adults over the past several decades."

Prior research has suggested that monofilament testing may play a role in screening for fall risk in older adults without diabetes, Strotmeyer added.

"For older adults both with and without diabetes, past studies have recommended monofilament testing be incorporated in geriatric screening for fall risk. Therefore, this article expands implications of clinical importance to understanding the pathology and consequences of loss of sensation at the foot in older patients," she said.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Hicks, Selvin, and a coauthor, Kunihiro Matsushita, MD, PhD, disclosed NIH grants. In addition, Selvin disclosed personal fees from Novo Nordisk and grants from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health outside the submitted work, and Matsushita disclosed grants and personal fees from Fukuda Denshi outside the submitted work. Strotmeyer receives funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and is chair of the health sciences section of the Gerontological Society of America.

Ann Intern Med. Published online December 7, 2020. Abstract

Jake Remaly is a staff journalist at Medscape Medical News and MDedge. He has covered healthcare and medicine for more than 5 years. He can be reached at jremaly@mdedge.com.

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Peripheral Neuropathy Tied to Mortality in Adults Without Diabetes - Medscape

Meghan Trainor insists her baby is healthy amid her battle with gestational diabetes.

The No Excuses singer revealed recently she has been diagnosed with the condition - which causes high blood sugar to develop during pregnancy, and usually disappears after giving birth - as she is currently expecting a baby boy with her husband Daryl Sabara.

And Meghan has now reassured fans that her condition is manageable, and both she and her unborn baby are doing fine.

She told the Today show: "Got a little tiny bump in the road - I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes, but it's manageable and it's okay. And I'm healthy and the baby's healthy. I just have to really pay attention to everything I eat.

"It's nice to learn so much about food and health, and [it's] nice to hear that so many women experienced this."

Meghan, 26, spoke about her gestational diabetes diagnosis late last month, when she said she knew she had to get tested for the condition because it runs in her family.

She said: "My family, we got gestational diabetes in my family, my mom had it for a month while she was pregnant and I mentioned it to my doctor and they tested me and were like, Okay, your blood sugars are pretty high. So I was like, Oh my God, Im sorry - I had a Pop-Tart and they were like, It doesnt work like that but lets focus on eating the right stuff and working out."

But unfortunately, the health scare hasnt helped to shun any of her cravings, which have all been for sugary foods.

She added: I just noticed that my whole life Ive been at nighttime, 'I want a giant bowl of popcorn, I want Salty Crunch' and now Im like, 'I really want a brownie or like Oreos, sugar...' and thats never been me.

"Im never like, 'Oh ice cream', and now Im like, 'I want a tub'. Also, like candy - I want a whole thing of Gushers right now."

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Meghan Trainor on gestational diabetes diagnosis: 'I'm healthy and the baby's healthy' - messenger-inquirer