Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), the world’s largest drugmaker, is racing against three other companies to sell the first arthritis treatment pill in over a decade. They have been developing an oral experimental drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The rheumatoid arthritis treatment drug is called tasocitnib and has met two of the three goals in a 611 patient study. Tasocitnib is considered one of the most promising drugs for Pfizer.
Dr Roy Fleischmann, the study’s primary investigator, said: “This is the first oral medication for rheumatoid arthritis that has had a successful Phase III study this century. When it works, it really works.”

Rheumatoid arthritis destroys joints in 1.3 million Americans every year.

Arthritis symptoms include:
Joint pain
Joint swelling
Joints that are tender to the touch
Red and puffy hands
Firm bumps of tissue under the skin on your arms (rheumatoid nodules)
Fatigue
Morning stiffness that may last for hours
Fever
Weight loss

You may be asking, what is arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation in your joints and tissue around the joints. An autoimmune disease means it’s an illness that occurs when your body’s tissues get attacked by your immune system mistakenly. It’s still unknown as to what causes arthritis and why the tissues get attacked.
To classify the severity of a person’s rheumatoid arthritis, the American College of Rheumatology developed a system based upon the X-ray appearance of a person’s joints.

Stage I

no damage seen on X-rays, although there may be signs of bone thinning
Stage II

on X-ray, evidence of bone thinning around a joint with or without slight bone damage

slight cartilage damage possible

joint mobility may be limited; no joint deformities observed

atrophy of adjacent muscle

abnormalities of soft tissue around joint possible
Stage III

on X-ray, evidence of cartilage and bone damage and bone thinning around the joint

joint deformity without permanent stiffening or fixation of the joint

extensive muscle atrophy

abnormalities of soft tissue around joint possible
Stage IV

on X-ray, evidence of cartilage and bone damage and osteoporosis around joint

joint deformity with permanent fixation of the joint (referred to as ankylosis)

extensive muscle atrophy

abnormalities of soft tissue around joint possible

Rheumatologists also classify the functional status of people with rheumatoid arthritis as follows:

Class I: completely able to perform usual activities of daily living

Class II: able to perform usual self-care and work activities but limited in activities outside of work (such as playing sports, household chores)

Class III: able to perform usual self-care activities but limited in work and other activities

Class IV: limited in ability to perform usual self-care, work, and other activities
[image:drkavitaphysio.com]

Incoming search terms:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• arthritis
• Arthritis Symptoms
• Reumatoid artrit
• rheumatoid arthritis x ray
• rematoid artritis
• reumatoid artritis
• rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Xray
• What Causes Arthritis
• rheumatoid arthritis stages
• x ray rheumatoid arthritis
• rheumatoid arthritis x-ray
• tasocitnib
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
• arthritis treatment
• symptoms of arthritis
• oral drugs for rheumatoid arthritis
• rheumatoid x-ray
• x ray of rheumatoid arthritis