Osteoarthritis is a debilitating disease, as it can affect feet, hands, and everything in between. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 58.5 million people suffer from arthritis — that’s 24% of all U.S. adults.1
Despite its widespread reach and painful symptoms, there is no cure for this disease. Treatments are available for inflammation management, but researchers are constantly looking to push the envelope and develop new medicine that, at best, stops bone degeneration or at least helps with pain. Two recent studies show promising results for the future of osteoarthritis medicine.
ARBDA’s osteoarthritis doctors are dedicated to finding the best treatment options for OA.
Although further research is required before these new treatments hit the market, we want to keep you in the know by sharing the latest news with you!
Knee Osteoarthritis
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania may have discovered a way to halt the effects of osteoarthritis. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, found that targeting a specific protein pathway in mice, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), could be the key to stopping knee cartilage degeneration and decreasing the associated knee pain.2
This breakthrough offers hope for the development of new treatments for osteoarthritis, a condition that affects millions worldwide. While current therapies mainly address pain and inflammation, there is a lack of options to halt or reverse disease progression. By targeting the EGFR pathway, researchers are hoping to find a drug that can potentially protect knee cartilage from further degeneration, giving those who suffer from knee osteoarthritis hope for a life with less pain and better mobility.3
Hand Osteoarthritis
Arthritis can affect every part of the body, and hands are no exception. In fact, they are one of the most commonly affected joints — but researchers may have found a potential new treatment through the drug talarozole.4
Samples collected from 33 patients with hand osteoarthritis found that people at risk of developing this disease had low levels of retinoic acid, which is produced by the ALDH1A2 enzyme. This also backs the findings of a 2014 Icelandic study that specific genetic variations in the ALDH1A2 gene were associated with an increased susceptibility to hand osteoarthritis (OA). The research also suggests that there might be a link between retinoic acid and inflammation.5
Scientists tested talarozole, a drug that acts as a retinoic acid metabolism blocking agent (RAMBA), on mice and found it successfully reduced inflammation. Further research is needed to clearly establish whether talarozole can be used for osteoarthritis management — but we might be one step closer to a new treatment.4
Find New Jersey’s Best Osteoarthritis Doctors at ARBDA!
If you are looking for the top osteoarthritis doctors in New Jersey, look no further than ARBDA. With a team of skilled and experienced physicians specializing in arthritis care, ARBDA is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for patients with arthritis. Whether you need a diagnosis, treatment, or ongoing management, ARBDA’s doctors are committed to helping you find relief and improve your quality of life.
2https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abb3946
