Arthritis Chronicle

This article by D Booth et al from the university of Birmingham takes a look at the links between obesity and arthritis.

Diverse customary patterns of eating, drinking or movement are hypothesised to be effective in weight control based on laboratory experiments or theoretical calculations, in some cases supported by ecologically valid evidence. This method is applicable to healthy members of the public and to patients at high risk of and from obesity such as those having type-2 diabetes or chronic arthritis. Weight-reducing behaviour not adequately identified in current best practice educational messages includes: integration of exercise into desk-based employment; uses of stairs; uncompensated vigorous activity or reduction in amount eaten at a meal; protein level and carbohydrate timing in meals; having a “snack”. This paper presents the scientific parts of a request for funds to integrate a suite of research methods based on theoretical models that can be applied to identify further, culturally and locally specific eating customs that avoid overweight and reduce obesity and can be iterated in a continuous (re)development of evidence-based expert advice and self-care practices in health and chronic disease.

The pubmed identifier for this article is 17055110

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I stumbled on this intersting on cervical ankylosis effects, the study looked into the effects of mutation of the E250Q mutation found on the CD2BP1 gene, and discusses the variability of the results seen.

Here is the abstract of the article, I have given a link to the full text furter down the page

Objectives. To describe a family from New Zealand with the pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum and acne (PAPA) syndrome, an autoinflammatory, variably expressed, erosive destructive form of arthritis. 

So it’s a very small scale experiment

Methods. Information was gained through medical records and interviews of the affected patients and wider family. DNA sequencing was performed at Seay Center for Musculoskeletal Research Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Simple well known procedures were used

Results. Five patients were affected over three generations with an E250Q mutation found on the CD2BP1 gene on chromosome 15. Common features included a severe, pauciarticular-onset, destructive peripheral arthritis, beginning at ages 5, 5, 2, 3 and 1 years. This combination marked cervical ankylosis (in two members), micrognathia and a more severe phenotype is unique. A third-generation family member treated early with DMARDs is following a less severe course. The skin involvement was variable, all with degrees of acne from puberty, though only one patient displayed pyoderma gangrenosum. A clear pattern of the arthritis switching off in adolescence and the triggering of skin disease was observed.

So it seems that different members of the family with the same gene defect have varying levels of pain

Conclusions. Differing degrees of joint destruction, and cervical ankylosis in this family with the E250Q mutation demonstrate PAPA syndrome’s variable expression. Further understanding of this rare condition and its pathway may allow better targeting of treatments, not just for families with this specific syndrome but also for other, more common, forms of arthritis.

Unfortunately io could not get full access to this article so am unable to give it a full scale review! for those who may have access through a university, heres a link to the cervical ankylosis article 

Full article is available from Rheumatology

 http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/kei178v1

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