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Research finds arthritis and Covid link Council and the Italian Ministry of Health. “This is a step forward in understanding why inflammation continues in both RA and Covid-19 and may provide a potential target for the future treatments for both conditions,” said Dr Aylott. The work was led by Dr Mariola KurowskaStolarska of the Research into Inflammatory Arthritis Centre Versus Arthritis in collaboration with Professor Elisa Gremese at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli. Their results were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) Insight in June. © iStock.com
RESEARCH into immune cells in Covid-19 patients and people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could help the development of new treatment strategies for both conditions, including long Covid. A study found similarities between the cells, called macrophages, in the lungs of people with a severe case of the virus and in the joints of RA patients. Both involve the gene SPP1, which triggers the production of a protein that may contribute to inflammation. Dr Caroline Aylott is head of research delivery at Versus Arthritis, the charity that funded the investigation along with the Medical Research
Cell similarities have been found between Covid-19 and rheumatoid arthritis
for NHS staff “will inform future ‘blueprints’ for potential service delivery models, and subsequently the development of a longer-term programme of work and investment plan”. The vision behind Growing OH, which launched in July, has been drawn up with key strategic partners, among them the NHS Health at Work Network, the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and Social Partnership Forum members.
Back pain drugs ‘may give little relief’ MUSCLE relaxing drugs widely prescribed for low back pain may give little effective relief, an Australian study suggests. While the non-benzodiazepine antispasmodics may help acute pain in the first two weeks, the benefit is seen as not clinically meaningful, and their use might increase the risk of an adverse side effect. Muscle relaxants, a class that includes non-benzodiazepine antispasmodics, were prescribed more than 1.3 million times in England in 2020. The study analysed their efficacy, acceptability and safety through a systematic review of randomised controlled trials involving more than 6,500 people. The researchers, however, emphasise their findings are drawn from “very low and low certainty evidence” and that there were no trials available that assessed long-term outcomes. Their work, which was published in July in The British Medical Journal, also calls for large, high-quality, placebocontrolled trials to be conducted to resolve uncertainties about the efficacy and safety of muscle relaxants for low back pain.
World Spine Day 16 October THE THEME for 2021 is Back2Back, focusing on highlighting ways people can help their spines by staying mobile, avoiding physical inactvity, not overloading their spines and adopting healthy habits such as weight loss and stopping smoking. Visit www.backcare.org.uk
for more information about World Spine Day.
TALKBACK l AUTUMN 2021
