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Salty Diet Might Help Trigger MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis

Posted 6 Mar 2013 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, March 6 – Eating lots of foods loaded with salt may do more than raise your blood pressure: Researchers report that it could also contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system mistakenly mounts an attack upon some part of the body. Three new studies suggest salt may be a prime suspect in a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine). A significant increase in the incidence of autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, suggests that environmental factors, and not genetics, may explain the trend, the researchers noted. "The diet does affect the autoimmune system in ways that have not been previously recognized," said senior study author Dr. David Hafler, a professor of neurology and immunobiology at ... Read more

Related support groups: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Rheumatoid Lung

Kids With Psoriasis More Likely to Be Overweight: Study

Posted 19 Nov 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Nov. 19 – Children who have the skin condition psoriasis are about twice as likely to be either overweight or obese as kids without the skin problem, according to new research that looked at children from nine countries. When researchers looked at just obesity, they found those with the skin condition were four times as likely to be obese, said Dr. Amy Paller, a professor and chair of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who led the study. It is published online Nov. 19 in the Archives of Dermatology. U.S. children with severe psoriasis were seven times as likely to be obese as children without the skin condition. "Pediatric psoriasis is a little bit of an orphan," Paller said. "It's very little studied." She decided to take a closer look, especially because much research has shown that adults with psoriasis are often overweight. Experts have ... Read more

Related support groups: Obesity, Psoriasis

Psoriasis Drug May Help People With Crohn's Disease: Study

Posted 17 Oct 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17 – The drug Stelara, used to treat the skin condition psoriasis, may also be effective against Crohn's disease, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found Stelara (ustekinumab) blocks two proteins known to cause inflammation. Crohn's disease patients with moderate-to-severe cases of the debilitating inflammatory bowel disease experienced improvements after six weeks of treatment, the team noted. One specialist not connected to the study welcomed the results. "This study confirms an earlier study showing that ustekinumab can be an effective therapy," said Dr. Bruce Sands, professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "Given the large unmet need for these individuals with refractory [hard-to-treat] Crohn's disease, these results are a great step forward," he said. Roughly ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis, Crohn's Disease, Stelara, Ustekinumab

Health Tip: Managing With Psoriasis

Posted 18 Sep 2012 by Drugs.com

-- Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease with no cure, but living a healthier lifestyle can help you control symptoms such as itching and flaking. The National Psoriasis Foundation offers these suggestions for healthier living, despite psoriasis: Find healthy ways – such as yoga or meditation – to manage your emotions and stress. Get plenty of daily physical activity. Make gradual changes to your diet to help you eat healthier. Seek help when you need it from friends and family. Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis

Newer Psoriasis Drugs May Lower Heart Attack Risk for Patients

Posted 20 Aug 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Aug. 20 – People with psoriasis who take a new class of drugs known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors may be at a lower risk for heart attack than their counterparts who only use topical medications to treat this inflammatory skin condition, a new study shows. And patients taking older systemic medicines and phototherapy may also have a reduced heart attack risk compared to those using topical preparations, the study found. Of 8,845 study participants, about 57 percent were treated with topical therapy only, 19 percent received a TNF inhibitor for at least two months and about 24 percent were treated with other medications or phototherapy. People who were treated with TNF inhibitors had a 50 percent lower risk, and those treated with other psoriasis drugs or phototherapy had a 46 percent lower risk for heart attack, than those who used topical medications alone. The ... Read more

Related support groups: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Methotrexate, Psoriasis, Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, Cyclosporine, Simponi, Cimzia, Soriatane, Neoral, Infliximab, Acitretin, Etanercept, Gengraf, Adalimumab, Golimumab, Methotrexate LPF Sodium, Sandimmune, Rheumatrex Dose Pack

Shingles Vaccine Safe for Those With Autoimmune Diseases: Study

Posted 3 Jul 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, July 3 – For those suffering from the chronic skin disorder psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases, a new study finds the shingles vaccine appears to be both safe and effective. It had been thought the vaccine might boost the risk of developing shingles in these patients, the researchers explained. "The findings are reassuring for a very specific group of patients," said Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an attending physician in infectious diseases at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., who was not involved in the study. "Patients who have weak immune systems are vulnerable to getting shingles and the shingles vaccine is a live vaccine," he added. The study looked at patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (an inflammation of the spine), or inflammatory bowel disease. The risk is that patients with these conditions are ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis, Autoimmune Disorders, Zostavax, Zoster Vaccine Live

Could Psoriasis Increase Odds for Type 2 Diabetes?

Posted 18 Jun 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, June 18 – People suffering from the autoimmune skin disorder known as psoriasis may face an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. "People with psoriasis are at increased risk of developing diabetes that is independent of traditional risk factors like being obese," said lead researcher Dr. Joel Gelfand, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The risk is highest in those with the most severe psoriasis, and these patients should be screened for diabetes, he said. The reasons for this risk may be genetic, or psoriasis may cause increased insulin resistance, Gelfand said. He also noted that obesity is a risk factor for psoriasis as well as diabetes. People who develop psoriasis should try to maintain a healthy weight to help prevent diabetes, he said. The report was published in the June 18 online edition ... Read more

Related support groups: Diabetes, Type 2, Psoriasis

Vigorous Exercise Might Keep Psoriasis at Bay

Posted 21 May 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, May 21 – Women who exercise vigorously may be reducing their risk of psoriasis, Harvard University researchers report. Psoriasis is an immune disorder that causes inflammation and scaly patches on the skin. Vigorous activity for up to three hours a week can potentially reduce the risk by 25 percent to 30 percent, the researchers said. "Exercise is a modifiable risk factor. Here is another reason to change lifestyle and exercise," said lead researcher Dr. Abrar Qureshi, vice chairman of the department of dermatology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston. "Most interesting was our finding that intensity of exercise was linked to psoriasis risk, where less vigorous physical activity such as walking was not associated with a lower risk for new-onset psoriasis," he said. The report was published in the May 21 online edition of the Archives of Dermatology. For the study, ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis

Gene Behind Psoriasis Identified, Researchers Say

Posted 19 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, April 19 – Scientists say they've identified the first gene directly linked to the most common form of psoriasis, known as plaque psoriasis. "We have searched for almost two decades to find a single gene linked to plaque psoriasis," study senior author Anne Bowcock, professor of genetics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a university news release. "Individually, the rare mutations we have found likely confer a high risk for the disease, and we think they will be important in the search to find new, more effective treatments." In conducting the study, researchers used cutting-edge DNA technology to uncover a rare mutation in the CARD14 gene in a large family of European descent with a high prevalence of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They also found the mutation among multiple members of an extended family from Taiwan who had the ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis

New Psoriasis Drugs Not Much Better Than Standard Therapy, Study Finds

Posted 19 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, April 19 – Newer, more expensive medications don't work much better for the chronic inflammatory skin disease known as psoriasis than the standard treatment, a new study indicates. The researchers found that biologics, which can cost upwards of $10,000 a year, were slightly more effective than a standard drug treatment for psoriasis, methotrexate, but that their impact lessened over time. The findings provide only limited hope for psoriasis sufferers, who sometimes stop traditional treatments because of nausea and other bad reactions. "When one looks at the outcome as being clear, or almost clear [skin], the biologics appear to be more effective than methotrexate," said study author Dr. Joel Gelfand. But, when total body surface area affected by the disease is added in that difference diminishes, he said. The study, published in the April issue of the Archives of Dermatology, ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis

Two Experimental Drugs Could Improve Psoriasis Treatment

Posted 28 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, March 28 – A new type of treatment may be on the horizon for people with moderate to severe cases of the chronic skin condition known as psoriasis. Two studies, published in the March 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that drugs that interfere with an immune system molecule called interleukin-17 (IL-17) led to significant improvements in skin lesions for more than 75 percent of patients over a 12-week period. Both studies were phase 2 clinical trials, which researchers conduct to determine the safest and most effective dose. The drugs next have to be tested in more people over a longer period of time. Although the effectiveness of IL-17 inhibitors seems similar to that of other biologic drugs for psoriasis that are already on the market, such as Enbrel and Stelara, these drugs could offer patients more and possibly safer options, said Dr. Craig Leonardi, ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis

Coffee Doesn't Affect Psoriasis Risk After All, Researchers Say

Posted 23 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, March 23 – Although earlier studies had linked coffee to an increased risk for psoriasis, a large new study finds no such evidence. Psoriasis is a common skin condition that causes skin redness and irritation. Most people with psoriasis have areas of thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches called scales. "Our hypothesis was whether caffeine would lower the risk of psoriasis because there are hypotheses in the past that caffeine might be an anti-inflammatory," said lead author Dr. Abrar Qureshi, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "However, we found there was no association between coffee intake and the risk of psoriasis," he said. These findings agree with other studies that found no association between coffee and this skin condition, the researchers noted. The reason that there has been an association of psoriasis with coffee may ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis

Psoriasis Patients May Face Higher Heart Risk

Posted 16 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, March 16 – People with the painful skin condition psoriasis may be at increased risk for health problems that affect the heart, an expert says. Excessive inflammation is a major feature of psoriasis. Chronic inflammation is also a characteristic of insulin resistance, obesity, abnormal cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, said Dr. Joel Gelfand, an assistant professor of dermatology and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Gelfand noted that recent studies have linked these serious medical conditions with psoriasis and it's important for psoriasis patients – particularly those with severe psoriasis – to monitor themselves for signs of these diseases. The recent studies included research on more than 4,000 patients that found that the more surface area of skin affected by psoriasis, the more likely a patient is to ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis

Smoking Linked to Higher Rate of Psoriasis: Study

Posted 2 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, March 2 – Smokers are at higher risk of developing the autoimmune skin condition psoriasis than nonsmokers, a new study finds, possibly because smoking pushes the body's immune system into overdrive, one expert suggests. The research doesn't directly prove that smoking causes psoriasis, and the wide majority of smokers would avoid developing the condition even if they faced an increased risk. Still, the findings provide yet another reason for smokers to drop the habit, said study co-author Dr. Abrar Qureshi, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School. "It behooves us even more to advise individuals who are smoking to quit," he said, especially because psoriasis itself is linked to higher risks of diabetes and heart attacks. Psoriasis, which tends to occur in adulthood, causes itchy and painful patches of thick, scaly and reddened or whitened skin. The ... Read more

Related support groups: Smoking, Psoriasis

New Guidelines for Treating Psoriasis When Pregnant or Nursing

Posted 2 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Dec. 2 – Topical treatment with moisturizers and emollients such as petroleum jelly should be the first line of therapy for treating psoriasis in pregnant and breast-feeding women, according to new recommendations from the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board based in Portland, Ore. These products should be tried first because they cause no known adverse effects. Psoriasis, a chronic skin disease, affects as many as 7.5 million Americans. It usually appears as red, scaly patches that may itch and bleed. "Treating psoriasis in women who are pregnant or breast-feeding presents special challenges due to the side effects of certain medications and the ethical concerns of placing this patient population in clinical trials," Dr. Mark Lebwohl, chair of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board, said in a foundation news release. "It's important for women to work with ... Read more

Related support groups: Psoriasis, Biafine, Skin Care, Aquaphor, Hylatopic, Aveeno, Concept, Cetaphil Cleanser, CeraVe, Lubriderm, Eucerin, Diab, Bag Balm, Replens, Mederma, Ocusoft, CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, PruMyx, Cream Base, Acne-Aid

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