Arthritis treatment could help to lower risk of diabetes

Scientists in the United States have revealed that some treatments for rheumatoid arthritis could help to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. The research, which examined data on almost 14,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, found that TNF-inhibitor biologic agents were able to reduce the diabetes risk in patients with the inflammatory conditions.
The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Associatio, showed that drugs taken for treating inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis could work to prevent patients suffering from these conditions from developing type 2 diabetes.
Previous studies suggesting that people with rheumatoid arthritis and similar ailments brought on by inflammation could face a higher risk of heart disease, insulin resistance and diabetes.
Researcher Daniel H. Solomon commented “We are not at the point where we can make clinical leaps and say that these are the drugs to choose for high-risk patients. But if future studies support the conclusion that these drugs do decrease insulin resistance and diabetes risk, one could imagine a day when we make treatment decisions based on these comorbidities.”
He added “Understanding how these drugs affect comorbidities like diabetes could help us make more informed treatment choices.”