Hope for millions as drug stops arthritis in its tracks

Many of those with early-stage arthritis given a combination of anti-rheumatic drugs went into remission Thousands of rheumatoid arthritis patients could be saved from disability if they are immediately given a drug that is usually reserved for the disease’s later stages, say researchers. The findings of a landmark study could lead to a ‘paradigm shift’ in treatment, where patients are given the most aggressive therapy as soon as they are diagnosed, rather than waiting for the disease to take hold. Almost 500,000 Britons are affected by rheumatoid arthritis, in which the body’s immune system attacks the joints, with 18,000 newly diagnosed patients each year. Around 40…

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