Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Common rheumatoid arthritis treatment shows potential for diabetes prevention

Common rheumatoid arthritis treatment shows potential for diabetes prevention

July 11, 2007

Far fewer rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) went on to develop diabetes compared to those who never took the drug, according to a 20-plus-year University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine-led study reported today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In addition, those using HCQ who did develop diabetes were less likely to take medications to manage their disease after diagnosis.

The multi-center observational study of 4,905 adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) found that relative risk progressively declined by as much as 77 percent after four years of treatment with HCQ, a common antimalarial medication that also is used for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders.




Additional participating centers in the study are Stanford University, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Cincinnati. Co-investigators at Stanford have directed the project database since its inception with support from the NIH.

"This reduction in risk persisted even after adjusting for other diabetes risk factors among these patients, such as body-mass index, degree of disability and use of corticosteroids," said rheumatologist Mary Chester M. Wasko, M.D., M.Sc., associate professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Because people with RA tend to be less active and take corticosteroids that can cause weight gain, they are often considered to be at higher risk for developing diabetes, a disease in which blood sugar levels become abnormally high because of the body's inability to use or produce the hormone insulin.

"Another interesting finding was that the rheumatoid arthritis patients who developed diabetes were less likely to need blood sugar-lowering medication to manage their disease," said Dr. Wasko, whose clinical research has focused on long-term health improvement in patients with RA. "However, it is most exciting to consider that this drug might be appropriate for people with pre-diabetes as a preventive therapy - much in the same way as a daily baby aspirin is suggested for people at high risk for heart disease."

Nationally, diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death, according to the American Diabetes Association. Many people first become aware of the disease when confronted with one of its life-threatening complications such as heart disease, blindness, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease or circulatory problems that can lead to amputation.

Results show that HCQ's association with reduction in diabetes risk is comparable or superior to that of a number of other drugs studied in clinical trials for diabetes prevention and treatment, including rosiglitazone, hormones, metformin, acarbose and ramipril. And recent questions have arisen concerning rosiglitazone, marketed as Avandia, and a reported increased risk of heart attack.

Although HCQ is not without side effects - nausea, headache and dizziness, for example - the drug has a long history of being generally safe and well-tolerated. In addition, Dr. Wasko and her colleagues observed no apparent negative interactions between HCQ and other drugs commonly used by RA patients, such as methotrexate and prednisone. An important limitation of the study, however, is that investigators used self-report information from patients collected in follow-up twice yearly that did not include confirmation by laboratory tests.

Other studies of the blood sugar-lowering effects of HCQ have shown minimal use for the drug as a treatment for people with established diabetes, Dr. Wasko continued, stressing the treatment's real promise may be prevention.

"HCQ already has a role in long-term treatment for RA, potentially moderating lipids and having a weak anti-clotting effect. But, optimistically speaking, endocrinologists can identify people who are at high risk for diabetes, due to obesity, family history, lipid profile or other characteristics. HCQ may also have a role in delaying onset of diabetes," Dr. Wasko said. "More research is needed to verify our findings in people with RA, and also to determine how this medicine works. But my ultimate hope is that this relatively inexpensive, safe drug will be studied as a way to reduce diabetes risk for people who do not have RA."

University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences



Related Diabetes Prevention Current Events and Diabetes Prevention News Articles Diabetes Prevention Current Events and Diabetes Prevention News RSS Diabetes Prevention Current Events and Diabetes Prevention News RSS
Dance to the music: Learning and exercising at YMCA can prevent diabetes
Community-based exercise organizations, such as the YMCA, are an effective tool in the fight against diabetes, according to a study by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers in the October 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Community-based diabetes prevention program shows promise
With over 60 million Americans diagnosed with prediabetes, putting them at increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular events and other obesity-related ailments, finding ways to help large populations avoid these complications is an important initiative.

Children's Hospital studying drug with the potential to prevent/delay onset of type 1 diabetes
Researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC are participating in an international clinical trial currently underway to study the effectiveness of oral insulin in preventing or delaying the onset of type 1 diabetes in people at risk for the disease.

New diabetes report documents devastating effects in New York City
The diabetes epidemic is taking a large and growing toll on New York City, a new Health Department report shows, as death rates, debilitating complications, and hospitalization costs soar.

Selenium Supplements May Increase the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Selenium, an antioxidant included in multivitamin tablets thought to have a possible protective effect against the development of type 2 diabetes, may actually increase the risk of developing the disease.

Women with diabetes left behind in drop in death rates
A new analysis of data from three large national databases finds that in the 29 years between 1971 and 2000, the death rate of men with diabetes has dropped significantly, in line with the overall decline of the death rate for all Americans. But the death rate for women with diabetes did not decline at all.

Can we prevent type 1 diabetes by modifying infant nutrition?
Within the next 10 years the EU-funded Diabetes Prevention study, part of an international study called TRIGR (Trial to Reduce IDDM in the Genetically at Risk), coordinated at the University of Helsinki, Finland, will generate a definite answer to the question whether early nutritional modification may prevent type 1 diabetes later in childhood.

Gene variant increases risk of type 2 diabetes
Researchers have confirmed that a gene variant confers susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in participants of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a large clinical trial in adults at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Weight loss improves bladder control in women with prediabetes
Losing a modest amount of weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity reduces the occurrence of urinary incontinence (UI) in women with prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet diabetic.

Eating grapefruit does help weight loss, could prevent diabetes
Early results from US researchers suggests that eating grapefruit really does help people lose weight, and could help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Writing in Chemistry & Industry Magazine, Marina Murphy reports on a pilot study of one hundred obese patients at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego. The group who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 lb (1.6kg) over twelve weeks, compared with a placebo group who lost an average 0.5lb (0.2kg). Some patients lost as much as 10lbs. After the meal, the "grapefruit groups" also had reduced levels of insulin, the hormone which enables the body to metabolise sugars. Glucose levels were also lower, suggesting a m
More Diabetes Prevention Current Events and Diabetes Prevention News Articles


Diabetes Diet Cookbook: Discover the New Fiber-FULL Eating Plan for Weight Loss
by Editors of Prevention Magazine, Ann Fittante

     Nearly 21 million Americans already have diabetes, and at least 54 million adults over the age of 20 are at risk. Fortunately, there is good news: Studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes—and even return their blood glucose levels to normal. This outstanding cookbook draws on...

Prevention's Diabetes Breakthroughs 2008

Smart solutions for optimal blood sugar...



The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan: A Guide to Understanding the Emerging Epidemic of Prediabetes and Halting Its Pr
by Sandra Woodruff, Christopher Saudek

Stop the development of diabetes in its tracks. The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan is a guide to halting the development of diabetes. In clear, accessible language, it explains the stages of diabetes and how the disease process can be arrested. It provides dietary guidelines for preventing diabetes, weight-loss tips, and exercise suggestions. In addition, the book features 150 easy and...



Diabetes: Prevention And Cure: Prevention and Cure
by Leigh C. Broadhurst



Outsmart Diabetes
by The Editors of Prevention Health Books

What's the best medicine for treating diabetes? Taking charge of your life! Few health problems are more responsive to diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors than this widespread disease. For many people, the combination of healthy food choices, a safe and easy fitness plan, and sensible weight loss can significantly lower blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes' hidden risks. This guide,...



Prevention Outsmart Diabetes 1-2-3: A 3-Step Plan to Balance Blood Sugar, Lose Weight, and Reverse Diabetes Complications



Conquering Diabetes: A Complete Program for Prevention and Treatment
by M.D., Anne Peters

A cutting-edge, comprehensive guide to diabetes and prediabetes treatment by a world- renowned physician The numbers are epidemic—more than 60 million Americans have prediabetes or diabetes—and the complications (heart disease, blindness, kidney failure) can be devastating. But they are not inevitable, says Anne Peters, M.D., who, in Conquering Diabetes, explains how prediabetes can...

Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan



Diabetes: Diabetes Book Prevention, Treatment, and Diagnosis : 7 Booklet Collection: Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes
by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kindney Diseases

Diabetes: Learn Everything You Need Know about Diabetes and Preventing and Treating Diabetes... This Diabetes Book is Presented To You By: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Edited by: S.Smith In this Diabetes Book: This "Diabetes" and “Prevent Diabetes Problems”...



User's Guide to Preventing & Reversing Diabetes Naturally (Basic Health Publications User's Guide)
by Melissa Diane Smith

Adult-onset, or type 2, diabetes has reachd epidemic proportions in the United States and is on the rise worldwide. In this User's Guide, nutritionist Melissa Diane Smith is clear on the cause of diabetes: the increasing consumption of highly processed and refined foods, which boost blood sugar and insulin levels. Smith describes a healthy easy-to-follow diet for losing weight, stabilizing blood...

© 2008 BrightSurf.com