People with inflammatory arthritis let down by health service, new report shows
People with rheumatoid and early inflammatory arthritis are being let down by the health service, a new clinical audit has shown.
9 Feb 2016
News
Justin Tomlinson in Downing Street DWP’s BSL launch cuts reference to successful Scottish scheme
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been criticised for apparently censoring a charity that tried to draw attention to a Scottish government scheme that makes Scotland's public services more accessible to users of British Sign Language (BSL).
9 Feb 2016
Gut bacteria could lead to new treatment for inflammatory arthritis
Studying the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that share our body space could lead to a preventative treatment for immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It's long been suggested that the bacteria which live in our gut, mouth and elsewhere on our bodies may affect our immune system and lead to the development of certain diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. But exactly how changes to these bacteria, collectively called the "microbiome", cause disease remains to be discovered. The research, which we awarded £2 million to, aims to unlock the link between gut bacteria and the development of immune diseases. This programme award brings together an international team of researchers, led by the University of Oxford, with partners from Birmingham and University College London, as well as collaborators in the US at Harvard University, New York University and Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. It should shed light on the role of the gut microbiome in early arthritis, established rheumatoid arthritis, a
8 Feb 2016
Apparently, I’m magic!
Well, who would have thought it! As far as I can make out, I'm magic!
8 Feb 2016
Bone marrow lesions 'can help predict progression of joint disease'
A new UK study has demonstrated that lesions found in the bone marrow could be used to predict the progression of joint diseases. The University of Southampton's Medical Research Council (MRC) Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit has determined that these lesions, which can be seen clearly on MRI scans, could be monitored to help identify individuals who are more likely to suffer from more rapidly progressing osteoarthritis. This conclusion was based on data from the SEKOIA study, a major international osteoarthritis disease-modifying trial, which involved the use of MRI scans on the knees of 176 men and women over the age of 50, who were then followed up for an average of three years with repeated knee X-rays. Results published in the Journal of Rheumatology showed that individuals with bone marrow lesions on their MRI scan generally experienced more rapid osteoarthritis progression than those that did not. On average, the space within the joint is lost at a rate of 0.15 mm per year, yet individuals with signs of le
8 Feb 2016
SEND Focus: Is your school complying with SEND law?
Too many schools are failing to implement the laws concerning pupils with special educational needs and disability, writes legal expert Dr Debbie Sayers (pictured)
8 Feb 2016