Certain Diabetes Meds May Lower Gout Risk, Too

MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2020 -- Medications called SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. And new research suggests these drugs may have an added benefit -- lowering the risk of gout.

Compared with people taking another class of diabetes drugs (GLP1 receptor agonists), those taking the SGLT2 drugs had 36% reduced odds of developing gout, the painful condition that usually starts in the foot.

Experimental Drug Could Be New Option Against Arthritis

TUESDAY, Dec. 31, 2019 -- A new drug might be able to save a person's knees from the ravages of osteoarthritis, researchers report.

People taking the drug, code named MIV-711, had less bone and cartilage loss than others given a placebo.

Drug Could Offer New Option Against Lupus

THURSDAY, Dec. 19, 2019 -- People suffering from the autoimmune disease lupus might soon have a new drug to turn to, a clinical trial suggests.

Anifrolumab is a lab-created antibody that blocks type 1 interferon, a biochemical that activates an immune response in humans, explained lead researcher Eric Morand, head of the Monash Health School of Clinical Sciences in Melbourne, Australia.

Cheap, Older Gout Drug Could Be a Lifesaver After Heart Attack

SUNDAY, Nov. 17, 2019 -- A cheap drug that's been around for centuries as a gout treatment might also shield heart attack survivors from future heart crises, new trial results show.

The drug, colchicine, is derived from a plant called the autumn crocus, researchers explained Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association, in Philadelphia.

Opioids Won't Help Arthritis Patients Long-Term: Study

SATURDAY, Nov. 9, 2019 -- Opioid painkillers may temporarily ease the discomfort of arthritis, but they have no clear lasting benefit, a research review finds.

In an analysis of 23 clinical trials, researchers found that, on average, opioid medications were somewhat effective at easing pain in patients with osteoarthritis. That's the common form of arthritis in which cartilage cushioning the joints gradually wears down, leading to swelling, stiffness and pain.