Deaconess Arthritis Center Steps Forward with Relief for Arthritis

(May 15, 2006) – With more than 66 million (nearly 1 in 3 adults) Americans living with arthritis, it is no wonder the healthcare community designates May as Arthritis Awareness month and Cincinnati’s Arthritis Foundation sponsors a fund-raising walk. Half of those 66 million Americans with arthritis don’t think anything can be done to help them. However, physicians are working hard to develop new treatments for this painful ailment. In fact, rheumatologists at Deaconess Hospital are broadening the horizon in arthritic treatment and therapy every day.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be especially devastating, and in the past two years, drugs, which seemed to be making headway, such as Vioxx and Bextra, have been pulled from the market due to increased heart attack and stroke risk. Today, some relief may be on the horizon. The Deaconess Arthritis Center has been involved in a 10-year test of biological response modifiers Orencia and Rituxan, new RA drugs approved by the FDA in December 2005 and February 2006. In fact, the Arthritis Center was among the very first research sites to test Orencia in patients with RA. It also contributed significantly to the development of Rituxan by enrolling significant numbers of patients and following them long-term to ensure patient safety. Arthritis Center physicians include Drs. David Greenblatt, Michael Luggen and Hana Baddreddine. All have been involved in the design, analysis and publication of various studies.

“It’s important to be involved in clinical research because it keeps ups on the forefront of knowledge,” says Elaine Eldridge, RN, clinical coordinator for the Deaconess Arthritis Center. “It also offers our patients treatment options when none would otherwise exist.”

Biologics, such as Orencia and Rituxan, target specific immune system components that play a pivotal role in suppressing inflammation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), most specifically Cox-1 and 2 inhibitors like Celebrex and Mobic, don’t do that, which means they affect a larger part of the body and can cause more side affects in certain patients. Patients who participate in the research programs at the Deaconess center have an opportunity to try investigational treatments when all other options have failed. And, for patients who lack insurance and prescription drug coverage, the opportunity to participate in clinical drug trials offers access to treatment.

While clinical research is important at Deaconess, it is by no means appropriate for all patients. The Deaconess center endeavors to provide the best treatment for each patient, whether or not this means participating in a clinical trial. In fact, the Deaconess Arthritis Center offers a team approach to each patient. Upon visiting the Deaconess center, patients meet with several members of a treatment team, including a rheumatologist, occupational and physical therapist and orthopedic specialist, who consult each other on the best treatment practice. At the Deaconess center, the many faces of arthritis are given expert care from caring experts.
 

To learn more about the Deaconess Arthritis Center, patients’ success with the drug trials and its physicians, contact Elaine at (513) 559-2787.