Exciting Development: Drug Eliminates Arthritis from Injury - By: jameeodpra

About three million Americans suffer from arthritis as a result of joint injuries that result in slow but steady degradation of their cartilage. Whether from surfing, water skiing, a car accident, or other injuries, joint trauma causes many of us to have lasting osteoarthritis in our joints.

A new scientific development reveals that there may be a chance to prevent this form of arthritis from occurring.

A common steroid drug that is given to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers may actually prevent joint trauma related arthritis from starting. A recent MIT study shows that the drug can help if given to patients soon after the joint injury occurs.

Alan Grodzinsky, Yihong Lu, both of MIT, and Christopher Evans of Harvard Medical School authored the study, which was printed in the September 2, 2011 issue of the Journal of Arthritis Research and Therapy. The lead author, Grodzinsky, is a the director of MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering. He is also a professor biological, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

The journal reported that the cartilage breakdown that occurs after an inury was stopped by treatment with glucocorticoid dexamethasone immediately after the injury. The treatment worked best when the drug was given to patients within one to two days after the injury.

The researchers have not been able to determine if the drug could reverse cartilage damage that already occurred. But, future research in this area is bound to occur. The researchers are already considering projects to determine whether the treatment reverses the damage in animals with existing injuries. Also, the researchers are evaluating the optimal course of treatment for the drug to prevent injury.

The scientists used cow and human cartilage in the study. They damaged the tissue, and then treated it with inflammatory proteins that the body creates after joint trauma. While the researchers are not yet certain how the drug impacted the injury, it appears that the glucocorticoid dexamethasone blocked the degradation of the cartilage by the proteins.

Until now, typical treatment for this type of injury is to give the patient non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) to reduce pain and swelling, and then perform surgery weeks after the injury to correct some of the damage. The new study instead suggests an immediate treatment with the glucocorticoid drug.

The treatment is exciting because, if further research shows that the drug can correct existing damage to the joints, the drug could quickly be put into circulation for this use since it is already approved for human use.

About the Author

You don't need to suffer from arthritis pain. Learn about available alternatives for arthritis treatment and osteoarthritis treatment.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/jameeodpra/185249

Additional Articles From - Home | Disease & illness | Arthritis