Drug used by millions for common condition could end pain for arthritis sufferers

Sly Saint

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Researchers found medication that controls blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes can also help patients with certain auto-immune diseases such as Lupus and arthritis

Arthritis sufferers have been given fresh hope of a life free of pain after studies on a drug developed for use by diabetics.

Researchers found medication that controls blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes can also help patients with certain autoimmune diseases. The drug, Canagliflozin, also targets T-cells – a type of white blood cell that usually helps us fight infections. These cells are known to mistakenly attack healthy tissues in patients with autoimmune diseases, so using Canagliflozin to inhibit them could aid the more than 400,000 people in the UK with rheumatoid arthritis and the 50,000 living with lupus.

Lupus causes joint pain, skin rashes and tiredness, and celebrity sufferers include actress Sally Hawkins and Made in Chelsea’s Louise Thompson. Dr Nick Jones, who led the Swansea University study, said: “Our findings are significant as they provide the foundation for the clinical development of Canagliflozin for treatment of certain autoimmune diseases.
Drug used by millions for common condition could end pain for arthritis sufferers - Mirror Online
 
Did none of those millions of people taking the drug notice that their joints stopped hurting? Maybe the drug theoretically reduces autoimmune symptoms, but if it hasn't been noticed as being accidentally effective, maybe the theory is wrong, or at least exaggerated.

Also, aren't there risks of taking t-cell suppressors long-term?
 
"These cells are known to mistakenly attack healthy tissues in patients with autoimmune diseases,"

Er, wrong. Nobody has ever found T cells mistakenly attacking healthy tissues in autoimmune rheumatic disease as far as I know. This is plain ignorant but typical.

Also, aren't there risks of taking t-cell suppressors long-term?

Actually, when people with rheumatoid disease were given Campath-1 all their T cells disappeared for years - decades I think now. It did not seem to affect their immune competence much but it made no difference to the arthritis.

 
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