Arthritis Foundation Announces Top 10 Arthritis Advances Of 2008
Contact:
Carol Galbreath
Arthritis Foundation
(404) 965-7595
 “... As the baby boomer generation ages, advances in research and the development of more effective and safer treatments are critical to helping improve the quality of life for millions of people with arthritis.” |
John H. Klippel, M.D., president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation |
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ATLANTA, Feb. 2, 2009 – The documentation of the severity and risk for arthritis and the promise of biologic medications in treating major forms of arthritis are among the top 10 most significant arthritis advances of 2008, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The Arthritis Foundation’s annual top 10 list also includes clues to better understanding arthritis’ origins and the increase of government support for programs to help people with arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability.
Research released in 2008 led to major findings in the world of arthritis. An important finding released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found more than half of adults with diagnosed diabetes also have arthritis. Another landmark government study in 2008 suggests nearly one in two people will develop painful knee osteoarthritis over their lifetime, with the highest risk among those who are obese.
Government support at national and state levels to help people with arthritis continued to gain ground in 2008. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Arthritis Prevention Control and Cure Act, which seeks to expand and strengthen research and public health initiatives proven to combat the burden of arthritis and improve access to pediatric rheumatologists to provide better care for the 300,000 children and families with arthritis. In addition, the increased support and funding by the CDC of state health departments will increase the availability of interventions such as Arthritis Foundation exercise programs, increase public awareness and improve the ability to monitor the burden of arthritis.
“The prevalence of arthritis continues to soar in the United States, and the advances made in 2008 help us to further understand its impact and underlying causes,” said John H. Klippel, M.D., president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation. “As the baby boomer generation ages, advances in research and the development of more effective and safer treatments are critical to helping improve the quality of life for millions of people with arthritis.”
The Arthritis Foundation’s Top 10 Arthritis Advances of 2008 include:
- House passage of landmark arthritis legislation
- Early, aggressive therapy best for rheumatoid arthritis
- New oral treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in pipeline
- Arthritis found to hamper activity in adults with diabetes
- Biologic therapies benefit children with juvenile arthritis
- Cardiovascular risk high in arthritis
- State arthritis programs enhanced
- Immune system ages early in arthritis
- Gingivitis and rheumatoid arthritis linked
- Nearly half of Americans will develop osteoarthritis
Summaries of each of the top arthritis advances and study findings, as well as what they mean for people living with arthritis are available at http://www.arthritis.org/topten2008.
To develop its annual list of the Top 10 Arthritis Advances, the Arthritis Foundation sought input from clinicians with expertise in various forms of arthritis, scientists from a wide variety of research disciplines, and organizations with an interest in arthritis and related diseases.
About the Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of some 46 million Americans living with arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability. Founded in 1948, with headquarters in Atlanta, the Arthritis Foundation has multiple service points located throughout the country.
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest private, not-for-profit contributor to arthritis research in the world, funding more than $400 million in research grants since 1948. The foundation helps individuals take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis. Information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-283-7800 or www.arthritis.org.
