The NRAS Blog

Monday 21 June 2010

Encouraging news from Rome

Hi Everyone,

Last week was maybe not the best time to try and see your rheumatologist because so many were in Rome for the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology known as EULAR 2010. We attended the congress along with over 15,000 rheumatologists from around the world, with around a 1,000 coming from the UK, so it was a wonderful opportunity for us to catch up with some of our lovely Medical and Allied Healthcare Advisors as well as be updated on the latest scientific developments.

EULAR stands for the European League Against Rheumatism and is the organisation which represents patients, health professionals and scientific societies of rheumatology from all the European nations. Its aim is to achieve progress in the clinical care of people with rheumatic diseases.

More than 3,000 pieces of work were presented during the congress, we presented on our new biologics book (if you would like a copy just contact us at helpline@nras.org.uk ) and our campaigning work on World Arthritis Day last October. It was great to have so much positive feedback after these sessions.

The news from Rome was very encouraging, with progress being made in the understanding of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its treatment. It has given us hope that for future generations different ‘types’ of RA will be identified and that people will be diagnosed and treated very early with the real possibility of the disease being put into remission. There is even talk of being able to ‘screen’ people who would be at risk of going on to develop RA. That is all for the future, but for today a strong message from EULAR 2010 was that people with RA who smoked would be well advised to stop. Not only because RA brings with it its own cardiovascular risks which smoking adds to, but because evidence shows that people who smoke tend to develop more severe RA.

I would like to end on a very different topic, the NRAS Members’ Magazine. If you are a Member, what do you think of the new look magazine? The next issue will be finalised shortly, but then work will begin on the winter issue and we would appreciate your input. What topics would you like to see covered in the Members’ magazine? Any suggestions please let me know at lynn@nras.org.uk. Maybe you would like to write about your experience of living with RA, again please contact me.

Have a wonderful summer.

Best wishes

Lynn Love
Director of Operations

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