A study involving about 14,000 patients with either rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, which was published in the June 22/29, 2011 issue of JAMA, has concluded that certain DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) lower the risk of diabetes. The two inflammatory conditions, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, have been linked to insulin resistance which in turn increases their risk of developing diabetes mellitus.
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study (a look back at medical records) and analyzed patients in four treatment groups: TNF inhibitors with or without DMARDs; methotrexate without TNF inhibitors or plaquenil (hydroxycholorquine); plaquenil without TNF inhibitors or methotrexate; and non-biologic DMARDs without TNF inhibitors, methotrexate, or plaquenil. Results suggested that TNF inhibitors and plaquenil were associated with a decreased risk of diabetes -- an effect that was more significant than what was observed with other non-biologic DMARDs. Researchers suggested the next step might be a randomized, controlled trial.
Related Resources:
- Plaquenil May Reduce Diabetes Risk in RA Patients
- 10 Things You Should Know About Rheumatoid Arthritis
- TNF Blockers - What You Need to Know
- 10 Facts About Plaquenil
- 10 Facts About Methotrexate
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Wow, there is a lot to learn about all these different drugs and what works with what. It’s always sort of scary to think about how all these different diseases sort of come on several at a time.
My question would be: How do they effect patients who are already diabetic? It seemed to me that when I started taking the Plaquenil, my sugars went up not down. I realize the two may not be related, like the first commentor said, it seems like a lot of these things seem to gang up on you all at once. If it does lower your resistance to insulin, I would hate to think what mine would be like without it. I am hoping it does really work, I have been diabetic for 30 years now, and would be thrilled to find something that helps control it better.