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Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Repeat treatment with MabThera provides continuous improvement of quality of life in RA patients

Data presented at this year’s American College of Rheumatology Congress (ACR) show that patients receiving repeat treatment with MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab) achieved continued improvement in both physical and mental aspects of quality of life measures. In addition, a higher proportion of patients achieved a significant improvement in disease symptoms with a second course of MabThera, compared to the first course they received.

Lupus :: High-tech spectroscopy may be used to monitor neuropsychiatric symptoms

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy may provide a noninvasive way to monitor neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with lupus, according to results from research in mice at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Pain :: Tarantula Venom And Chili Peppers Target Same Pain Sensor

Venom from a West Indian tarantula has been shown to cause pain by exciting the same nerve cells in mice that sense high temperatures and the hot, spicy ingredient in chili peppers, UCSF scientists have discovered.

Restless Legs Syndrome :: Boehringer Ingelheim?s pramipexole for the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome RLS

Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved pramipexole, a non-ergot dopamine agonist, for the treatment of moderate to severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).1 This is an important milestone for pramipexole (Mirapexin? / Sifrol? / Mirapex?), which was already approved throughout the European Union in April 2006 for this second indication.

Rheumatoid Arthritis :: ORENCIA, abatacept demonstrate continued efficacy in adults with rheumatoid arthritis

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) today announced that two-year data from three Phase III pivotal trials demonstrate the long-term efficacy of ORENCIA? (abatacept) in adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate and TNF antagonists. The data also demonstrate that ORENCIA provided clinically meaningful improvements in multiple aspects of health-related quality of life and physical function, sustained improvements in pain and had a consistent safety and tolerability profile through two years of treatment. These data will be presented at the upcoming 2006 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting.

Heart Disease :: Systolic Blood Pressure Predicts Mortality in Heart Failure Patients

Systolic blood pressure, a readily available vital sign taken at hospital admission, has been found to be a key factor in predicting mortality risk and revealing important disease characteristics for heart failure patients, according to a team of academic researchers.

Health :: Medication Costs Infrequently Addressed When Newly Prescribed, UCLA Study Finds

A new UCLA study has found that physicians discuss cost and aspects of obtaining newly prescribed medications only about one-third of the time during patient/doctor interactions.

Brain Injury :: Hospital discharge instructions for mild brain injury faulty

In a study published in a recent issue of Brain Injury, researchers at the University at Buffalo found that discharge sheets from 14 of 15 hospitals that were reviewed lacked at least one important sign of a possible hemorrhage. Ten of the hospitals were located in Western New York; five were located in southern Ontario, Canada.

Diarrhea :: UVa finds ‘Alzheimer’s gene’ protects children from severe diarrhea

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Federal University of Cear? in Brazil have joined forces to study if the gene believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s protects children from the developmental stresses of early childhood diarrhea.

Flu :: Next flu pandemic – What to do until the vaccine arrives?

Experts believe the world is overdue for influenza pandemic. However, unless effective action against pandemic flu is taken now, we are in “dire straits,” according to a paper published in the November 10 issue of Science. The articled titled, “Next Flu Pandemic: What to Do Until the Vaccine Arrives?,” calls for research during the regular season flu season to better understand the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing, hand washing, face masks, and the like.