PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Depression higher than previously reported in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis

Levels of depression and anxiety in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis are higher than previously reported, according to new research

2014-01-21
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Alison Barbuti
alison.barbuti@manchester.ac.uk
44-016-127-58383
University of Manchester
Depression higher than previously reported in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis Levels of depression and anxiety in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis are higher than previously reported, according to new research Levels of depression and anxiety in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis are higher than previously reported, according to new research. As a result of their findings, a multi-centre team led by researchers at the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Genetics and Genomics at the University of Manchester, say that patients with severe active disease, who are waiting to go onto a biological therapy, should be routinely screened for depression by their doctors. The team, led by Professor Anne Barton, also suggest that the way that disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis is currently recorded should be changed in order to improve the way that patients are managed. Their findings are published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research. Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious, inflammatory, auto-immune condition that affects the joints and the body's internal organs leading to chronic pain and fatigue. New biological therapies have transformed the treatment of people with severe disease in the past decade, although some patients do not adequately respond to these drugs. The team carried out an observational study of 322 patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis who were waiting to go on biologic therapy. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of psychological factors upon each of the different parts of the current measure of disease called the DAS28. The DAS28 score takes into account the number of tender and swollen joints and the level of inflammation in the body. It also includes a subjective, patient-reported measure based on how well the patient is feeling. The team found that subjective measures of response were more likely to be influenced by psychological factors such as mood or beliefs about their illness and the therapies used. "This may seem obvious but has not been reported before and is important because without treating the depression, the patient's DAS28 score might not improve as much as it should on a biological drug, and doctors may assume the drug is ineffective," explained Dr Lis Cordingley, a health psychologist who was the lead author on the paper. Professor Barton added: "This is the first study of its kind in patients with high levels of active disease, and suggests that routinely assessing a patient's moods and beliefs – separate to their physical state – would be useful in guiding patient management. As rheumatologists we need to be aware that depression may occur more commonly in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis than we had realised."

###

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers discover an epigenetic lesion in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's

2014-01-21
Researchers discover an epigenetic lesion in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease can reach epidemic range in the coming decades, by the increasing average age of society. There are two key issues for Alzheimer's disease: ...

Large-scale HPV self-testing proves effective for screening cervical cancer

2014-01-21
Large-scale HPV self-testing proves effective for screening cervical cancer Self-testing for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) – the virus that causes cervical cancer – is as effective at detecting cancer as a conventional smear test (cytology screening) ...

The scientific explanation of why beer overflows

2014-01-21
The scientific explanation of why beer overflows This news release is available in Spanish. Scientists at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid reveal the physical phenomenon that explains beer's rapid transformation from a liquid to a foamy state as the result of an impact. ...

Infectious diseases experts issue guidance on health-care personnel attire

2014-01-21
Infectious diseases experts issue guidance on health-care personnel attire Recommendations to help prevent health-care-associated infections transmitted through clothing New guidance from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) ...

Radiation before surgery more than doubles mesothelioma survival: UHN study

2014-01-21
Radiation before surgery more than doubles mesothelioma survival: UHN study (TORONTO, Canada – January 20, 2014) – Results of clinical research that treated mesothelioma with radiation before surgery show the three-year survival rate more than doubled for ...

Gay-straight alliances in schools reduce suicide risk for all students

2014-01-21
Gay-straight alliances in schools reduce suicide risk for all students Canadian schools with explicit anti-homophobia interventions such as gay-straight alliances (GSAs) may reduce the odds of suicidal thoughts and attempts among both sexual minority ...

Childhood obesity can only be tackled with broad public health interventions

2014-01-21
Childhood obesity can only be tackled with broad public health interventions Public health researchers from the University of Manchester have found single dietary interventions are not effective at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among overweight ...

A 21st century adaptation of the Miller-Urey origin of life experiments

2014-01-21
A 21st century adaptation of the Miller-Urey origin of life experiments A safe approach to investigating how organic molecules could come about from inorganic compounds Today, January 21, JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, published a ...

Peekaboo... I see through!

2014-01-21
Peekaboo... I see through! MIT team develops a new, inexpensive transparent projection screen Picture the Louvre pyramid: the iconic glass pyramid that serves as main entrance and skylight to the landmark museum. The pyramid ...

Turkeys inspire smartphone-capable early warning system for toxins

2014-01-21
Turkeys inspire smartphone-capable early warning system for toxins Berkeley — Some may think of turkeys as good for just lunch meat and holiday meals. But bioengineers at the University of California, Berkeley, saw inspiration in the big birds for a new ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Major review highlights latest evidence on real-time test for blood – clotting in childbirth emergencies

Inspired by bacteria’s defense strategies

Research spotlight: Combination therapy shows promise for overcoming treatment resistance in glioblastoma

University of Houston co-leads $25 million NIH-funded grant to study the delay of nearsightedness in children

NRG Oncology PREDICT-RT study completes patient accrual, tests individualized concurrent therapy and radiation for high-risk prostate cancer

Taking aim at nearsightedness in kids before it’s diagnosed

With no prior training, dogs can infer how similar types of toys work, even when they don’t look alike

Three deadliest risk factors of a common liver disease identified in new study

Dogs can extend word meanings to new objects based on function, not appearance

Palaeontology: South American amber deposit ‘abuzz’ with ancient insects

Oral microbes linked to increased risk of pancreatic cancer

Soccer heading does most damage to brain area critical for cognition

US faces rising death toll from wildfire smoke, study finds

Scenario projections of COVID-19 burden in the US, 2024-2025

Disparities by race and ethnicity in percutaneous coronary intervention

Glioblastoma cells “unstick” from their neighbors to become more deadly

Oral bacterial and fungal microbiome and subsequent risk for pancreatic cancer

New light on toxicity of Bluefin tuna

Menopause drug reduces hot flashes by more than 70%, international clinical trial finds

FGF21 muscle hormone associated with slow ALS progression and extended survival

Hitting the right note: The healing power of music therapy in the cardiac ICU

Cardiovascular disease risk rises in Mexico, despite improved cholesterol control

Flexible optical touch sensor simultaneously pinpoints pressure strength and location

Achalasia diagnosis simplified to AI plus X-ray

PolyU scholars pioneer smart and sustainable personal cooling technologies to address global extreme heat

NIH grant aims for childhood vaccine against HIV

Menstrual cycle and long COVID: A relation confirmed

WMO report on global water resources: 2024 was characterized by both extreme drought and intense rainfall

New findings explain how a mutation in a cancer-related gen causes pulmonary fibrosis

Thermal trigger

[Press-News.org] Depression higher than previously reported in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis
Levels of depression and anxiety in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis are higher than previously reported, according to new research