New study These arthritis medications halve the risk of dementia

Arthritis drug protects against dementia

A dementia disease affects more and more people in Germany. Researchers have now discovered that rheumatoid arthritis medicines can be used as a promising new treatment option for people with dementia.

Researchers from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Center found in their study that certain drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis could also help with dementia. The physicians published their findings in the English-language journal Alzheimer's And Dementia: Translational Research And Clinical Intervention..

Rheumatoid arthritis drugs have been shown to be a promising new treatment option for people with dementia. (Image: Ocskay Mark / fotolia.com)

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

The experts noted in their study that rheumatoid arthritis patients taking anti-inflammatory drugs are only half as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term disease that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. The disease usually affects the inner skin (membrana synovialis) of joints, tendon sheaths and bursa. There is currently no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but some medications can at least help alleviate the pain and reduce inflammation and damage in the joints, say the doctors.

Rheumatoid arthritis drugs protect against heart disease

Since inflammation is a characteristic feature of many other conditions, including dementia, drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and reduce inflammation may also be beneficial to patients with other conditions, the authors explain. This has already been found in the treatment of patients with heart disease, where the first promising results in large-scale clinical trials are currently being investigated further.

DMARDs protect against dementia

In the current study, the researchers noted that anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), especially methotrexate, appear to protect against dementia. For the study, the physicians analyzed anonymous data from the medical records of more than 5,800 people with rheumatoid arthritis in the UK. They compared 3,876 DMARDs-taking patients with 1,938 patients who did not take such medications. The experts found that the anti-inflammatory medication taking people had about half the risk of developing dementia. The research was conducted under the direction of Professor Chris Edwards of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Center.

Further research is needed

This discovery shows that so-called DMARDs represent a potential new dementia treatment and supports investigations in other clinical trials. Thus, if necessary, it can be ascertained whether these medicines can really be used for the prevention or treatment of dementia.

Improved treatment of dementia in sight?

"Although drugs are available that can temporarily reduce some symptoms or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, there is currently no cure for the disease," study author Professor Chris Edwards explains in a press release from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Center. The current study shows a positive correlation between patients who take medicines for arthritis and the risk of developing dementia. The risk may be reduced by up to 50 percent, the expert adds. This could lead to an improved treatment of the neurological disease. (As)