The Wisconsin Chapter cordially invites you to attend our 9th Annual JA Winter Family Day. Come and renew friendships and meet other families of children with juvenile arthritis.
For more information, please click here.
Family Day info is here!
December 2, 2009 by afwichapterRheumatoid Arthritis and Heart Disease
December 2, 2009 by afwichapterBy: Dr. Romona Raya of the Medical College of WI
(Taken from “Just Joints”, a one page electronic medical newsletter provided by the Health Promotion Committee of the Arthritis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter.)
The natural course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive inflammation leading to articular destruction and increased morbidity and premature death. The leading cause of death in RA patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Compared to the general population, when controlling for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors such as smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, patients with RA were 2-3 times at increased risk for developing CVD.
Recent studies have suggested that part of the mechanism of CVD in RA is independent of the known risk factors, but can synergistically accelerate the disease process. It is thought that chronic inflammation in RA enhances the development of atherosclerosis. Proposed theories include the development of vascular damage from both endothelial dysfunction and impaired vascular repair caused by the chronic exposure to inflammatory mediators. The effects of cytokines, immune complexes, elevated levels of C-reactive protein, or rarely, coronary vasculitis has thought to play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. To further support the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of CVD, studies evaluating RA patients treated more aggressively with DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) and biologic agents had a decreased incidence of cardiovascular events compared with less aggressively treated RA patients. In addition, RA patients with more severe disease, higher CRP values, and those that had positive anti-CCP antibodies had increased cardiovascular events.
The clinical manifestations of symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with RA are similar to those without RA. However, a larger number of patients with RA have clinically silent CAD than do individuals in the general population. Hence, patients with RA are less likely than those without RA to report chest pain during an acute coronary event. It is unclear why more RA versus non-RA patients have clinically silent CAD, but may be related to less physical activity due to structural joint damage or from an altered pain perception from anti-inflammatory and DMARD therapy.
Prevention and treatment of CVD in RA and non-RA patients are similar, however there are some unique issues related to RA patients. As in non-RA patients, it is important to address modifiable risk factors, such as smoking cessation, exercising, and implementing a healthy diet. However, it may be difficult for some RA patients to exercise depending on the amount of joint disease present, referring to a physical therapist for catered exercise regimens is important. Blood pressure and blood sugar control may be difficult to achieve in some RA patients who are being treated with glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Limiting the amount of glucocorticoids and NSAIDs helps in reducing CVD risk.
Using glucocorticoids in the lowest dose for the shortest duration possible can help in risk reduction.
Hyperlipidemia needs to be treated aggressively in this patient population. Currently, the guidelines for hypercholesterolemia are the same for RA and non-RA patients however, lipid lowering therapy as primary prevention of CVD has not been adequately studied in the RA population. From studies done thus far, physicians should have a lower threshold for starting lipid lowering agents and following strict LDL goals in RA patients.
Awareness of the heightened cardiovascular disease risk in RA patients is important for the internist and rheumatologist as well as other caretakers. Education and risk reduction measures should be aggressively implemented in this patient population.
If you are a health professional and would like to receive “Just Joints” and be included on the e-mail list, or simply for more information on “Just Joints”, please contact Maureen Blattner at mblattne@arthritis.org.
Ramona Raya is a board certified rheumatologist, currently practicing at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She obtained her Bachelor in Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH in 1999. She then completed medical school at University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2003. From 2003-2006 she underwent internal medicine residency training at Georgetown University Washington Hospital Center. She completed her fellowship in Rheumatology at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, where she also served as
the Chief Fellow in 2007-2008. She then joined MCW as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in 2008.
VOTES NEEDED: Community Giving through Facebook!
November 23, 2009 by afwichapter
Chase is giving away $5 million to charities and they need YOUR help in deciding which once get these funds! Simply vote for your favorite charity (the Arthritis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter), and then tell all your friends on Facebook to vote, too!
Just visit this link: Chase Community Giving
How to vote:
1. Click on the link above.
2. In the search box, you have two options: by name or zip code.
a. You can type in Arthritis Foundation and then choose the one that has (West Allis) behind it. OR
b. You can type in 53214 in the zip code and then click on our location on the map. (Hint: We’re south of I-94 on Hwy 100) You’ll need to click on “About This Charity” before you can vote on it.
3. Once our Foundation comes up, you can vote for us!
Thank you for helping! Don’t forget to vote and tell all your friends!
Importance of patient education
November 20, 2009 by afwichapterJust yesterday, the Arthritis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter staff and in-office volunteers, along with two members of the Wisconsin Arthritis Program were able to learn more about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from Alma Hamidovic, PharmD. Alma is a pharmacist by training, but she serves a role at UCB as an Immunology Medical Science Liaison. What does that mean? She works with doctors and scientists in clinical trials with RA and lupus. She also provies education to doctors, insurance companies and interested groups like our staff. This is what Alma shared with us:
Alma Hamidovic, Pharm D., teaches staff and volunteers about rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects joints and the surrounding tissue and cartilage causing swelling, pain, and stiffness. Three times more women get RA then men do when they’re younger, but as people age the incidence of RA in men and women is closer to 1:1. RA does affect more than just joints. It has a systemic affect on the body often affecting elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, and feet plus heart, lungs, eyes, skin, liver, blood, etc.
When a person has RA, the space around their joints called the synovium, which is a fluid sac that cushions the joints, becomes thin as does the space between the bone and damaged cartilage. Cells “flip out” and soon you have T-cells, B-cells, microphages, lymphocytes, mast cells and pannus wreaking havoc on a joint.
There’s a lot more to it than you thought, huh?
The causes of RA is unknown. There are studies that have shown that there are many factors which make a person more likely, however, to get the disease. They are genetic, hormonal, environmental, but there is little evidence showing that there are infectious causes. People who smoke are especially at risk.
When testing for how RA affects someone’s life, Alma showed us that stiffness, pain, swelling, limitations were all very high, but it doesn’t seem to negatively affect social and mental functioning. “Rheumatologists are always telling me how heroic the RA patients are,” Alma said. No matter how bad their RA gets, these individuals are brave and have a brilliance to their personalities.
So, how do you treat RA? Back in the early 1900’s, individuals were told to “take aspirin until your ears rang”. In the 1930’s, gold was injected into people’s joints. Why this works, no one is exactly sure, but the treatment is very painful. In the 1950’s, steroids were the latest and greatest. In the 1980’s, methotrexate, also used to treat cancer, came on the scene and has stayed. In the 1990’s and in this decade, biologic drugs and anti-TNF blockers have literaly turned people’s lives around. Fortunately the future for RA patients is brighter as new drugs are tested even as this author types. The first line of treatments was aimed at controlling pain. Then they found ways to prevent or slow destruction of the joints and bones making disfigurement from RA less likely. Now, researchers are looking for a cure and ways to put people in remission for good.
Besides these medicines, patient education has been shown to be a tremendous help as a non-pharmacological intervention. It’s right up there with therapy. The more you know, the better a patient you’ll be. The better patient you are, the more likely you are to having a great relationship with your rheumatologist, which will result in care and treatments that you understand and can embrace.
While we wait for that cure, you can contact the Arthritis Foundation at 800-242-9945 and ask for information about arthritis to enhance your knowledge. It sounds cheesy, but it’s really about what you know.
What will you run for?
November 13, 2009 by afwichapterSpecial thanks to Chris Uschan for putting this great video together for the Madison Jingle Bell Run/Walk on December 12. It’s a great reminder for all of us to get those jingle bells on for a Jingle Bell Run/Walk near you.
PLUS: I heard that you can vote for this video soon on Show Us Your Moves!
FYI – Family Day
November 12, 2009 by afwichapterHeads up families!
The Annual Family Day is happening on January 30th at the Blue Harbor Resort in 2010! All families with children who have some form of JA are invited to come. Just call our office at 414-321-3933 or 800-242-9945 for more information!
Families and volunteers gather to thank Karen Thomsen, whose generosity made Family Day possible.
Running and Walking in Winter
November 10, 2009 by afwichapterJingle Bell Run/Walk season is fully underway! The Wisconsin Chapter has two successful events and we’re hoping for the other eight to finish strong. The weather has been beautiful, but will it last? Without putting a jinx on the sunshine and warm temperatures, here are a few tips from Runner’s World Magazine and Arthritis Today Magazine that this author couldn’t wait to share:
1. Get Motivated and Encourage Others
Find something or someone to run for (Hint: Jingle Bell Run/Walk and the 1.1 million people in Wisconsin who have arthritis). If you’ve got someone counting on you, you’re more likely to keep moving. Let’s say you’re going to participate the Jingle Bell Run/walk in Eau Claire (our event that’s the farthest north) on December 12 with a team of friends and family. You’re more likely to feel the warmth of team support to keep you going!
2. Keep Your Tootsies Toasty
To keep warmth in and the slush out, run in shoes that have the least amount of mesh. Wear socks that wick away wetness but keep your feet warm.
3. Dress Up
You want to be warm without sweating so much you get a chill. A good rule of thumb is to dress as if it is at least 10 degrees warmer. Think layers of technical fabrics, to wick sweat, with zippers at the neck and underarm area to vent air as you heat up. Assume you always wear gloves or mittens and a hat.
4. Light it Up!
With limited daylight, chances are you’ll be running or walking in the dark. Tall snowbanks on plowed streets make you even harder to see. Wear reflective, fluorescent gear, and don’t be shy about lighting yourself up like a Christmas tree, says Runner’s World’s own Ed Eyestone, who runs in snowy Utah. Headlamps and flashlights are a good idea, too.
5. Warm up Prerun or Walk
If you’re really determined to head outside, move around inside enough to get the blood flowing without breaking a sweat. If you’re healthy enough to run, take a trip up and down your stairs, use a jump rope, a few yoga sun salutations, or even a speedy house-cleaning works (and gets a chore done!), too. If you’re meeting a group of running buddies, don’t stand around in the cold chatting before you run – stay inside a building or your car if you’re waiting for someone to show up.
6. Weather the Wind
Start your run or walk into the wind and finish with it at your back, so the breeze doesn’t blast you after you’ve broken a sweat. To avoid a long, biting slog, you can break this into segments, running into the wind for about 10 minutes, turning around to run with the wind at your back for five minutes, and repeating. You can also seek man-made wind protection like running on city streets so buildings block the wind.
7. Don’t Worry about Speed
Winter running or walking is more about maintenance miles than speed. Try exercising in the middle of the day when it’s the warmest.
8. Do a Wardrobe Change Immediately Postrun or Walk
Your core body temperature drops as soon as you stop moving. To avoid a lingering case of the chills, change your clothes–head to toe–as soon as you can. Women need to get out of damp sports bras quickly. Put a dry hat on wet hair. And drink something hot. If you drove to your outdoor exercising locale, keep dry clothes and a thermos in the car.
9. Watch the Wet
Be prepared for puddles when the snow melts! Keep a dry pair of shoes handy to rotate which ones you wear. If you have to dry shoes overnight, crumple up newspaper and cram it tightly into your shoes, with the insoles removed. The newspaper soaks up the moisture.
10. Go Where It’s Warm!
This is a bit of a “duh” statement, that could easily be the first tip. You could head south and do a Jingle Bell Run/Walk in a state that stays sunny and warm year-round. Or you could join a Joints in Motion team and run a marathon in a warm locale (they have marathons in Jamaica, Florida and other sunny spots)! Hit the gym and hop on a treadmill or knee-friendly elliptical machine. Your local mall probably has a special time for walkers in the morning or evening. Window shop and make a mental list for all your holiday shopping!
NOTE: Talk with your physician or healthcare team before beginning any exercise regimen to determine if you are healthy enough to do the activities mentioned in this blog entry.
Lots to do this week!
November 3, 2009 by afwichapterHave nothing to do this weekend? I have a hard time believing that! The Arthritis Foundation has LOTS to do this weekend and YOU can join the fun!
For the wine enthusiasts we’ve got an International Wine Tasting in Madison on Saturday, November 7 from 4-7 p.m. at The Madison Club. Here’s a few things you can look forward to:
- Meeting Toni Johnson, co-owner of Professional Wine Consultants, who has achieved the advanced certification of the Court of Master Sommeliers, and is the first and only person in Wisconsin to have achieved that level. Toni will be hosting the special Connoisseurs’ Room from 3-4 p.m. where you’ll be treated to rare wines with unique backgrounds. Limited to 20 people.
- Sampling the wines Whole Foods Market is bringing including nearly 100 varieties from the world’s best vineyards.
- Cleansing your palate with artisinal cheeses and gourmet hors d’oeuvres.
- Satisfying your cravings with single-origin chocolates crafted by Gail Ambrosius.
- Enjoying live music, raffles, games and bidding on silent auction items.
The proceeds of the event will go to support programs, services and important arthritis research. International Wine Tasting tickets are $60, and tickets for the International Wine Tasting, including the Connoisseur’s Room tickets are $110.
More information can be obtained by calling the Arthritis Foundation at (608) 221-9800 or visit http://madisonwine.kintera.org until noon on Wednesday, November 4 to reserve your place. Tickets may also be purchased at the door on the day of the event.
For the runner’s and walker’s, we’ve got TWO Jingle Bell Run/Walk events happening this weekend. Jingle Bell Run/Walk – Fox Cities is happening at Player’s Choice in Appleton on Saturday, November 7 starting at 9 a.m. and Jingle Bell Run/Walk – Milwaukee is happening at the Milwaukee County Zoo on Sunday, November 8 starting at 8:30 a.m.
If you haven’t gotten to register for the Jingle Bell Run/Walks, you can still register on the day of the event before the race. Please remember to bring your race numbers and jingle bells if you picked up your race packets early.
There is a lot of fun to be had at both events! We’ve got great routes, fun runs, chip timing in Milwaukee, and the gathering of friends and relatives all for a good cause!
Whether you sip, walk or run this weekend, you can be sure that everything you do is helping to raise awareness and funds to support the 1.1 million men, women and children in Wisconsin who are affected by this horrible disease. Help us kick off the holiday season with a toast or a job and bring hope to millions!
Physical Activity: The Arthritis Pain Reliever
October 27, 2009 by afwichapterJoining up with our good friends over at the Wisconsin Arthritis Program, the Arthritis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter (AFWC) wants you to GET UP AND GET MOVING!
That’s right. You heard it here. You can take charge of your arthritis with moderate physical activity. You can take a walk, ride a bike or take a swim. Whatever you do, get moving. With over 46 million Americans living with arthritis, and many of them discovering that moderate exercise improves the way they feel, don’t you want to join them?
Here’s a way to get started:
You need to get your heart rate up and keep it up for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week. If that seems like too much, you can break it down to 10 minute segments 3 times a day. You can gradually work your way up to those 30 minutes a day. Let your body be your guide and listen to what it tells you. If you can’t carry on a conversation, or if you feel sever pain during the activity, you’re probably pushing too hard.
Aim for being able to keep up a conversation, but not sing while you’re doing your activity. Don’t forget to start and end your activity with a gentler, slower pace to warm up and cool down. Gentle stretching is a great way to wrap up your exercise and improve your range of motion. In just 4-6 weeks, you’ll notice less pain and stiffness.
Want some more ideas for fun fitness?
You can join a group exercise program like the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program or Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, or self-management programs like Living Well with Chronic Conditions and Stepping On. You can take your kids or grandkids to the pool and swim for 20 minutes. Why not take a 10-minute walk after dinner with friends? Grab a 15-minute bike ride in the morning and take a 15-minute walk in the evening with a neighbor. The more you enjoy your workout, the more likely you’ll keep it a regular part of your life.
Fast Fitness Facts:
With regular moderate physical activity you’ll
- Feel less pain
- Move more easily and do more activities
- Feel more energetic
- Improve you mood and
- Keep your muscles, bones, and joints healthy
Now that you’ve read this handy blog entry on physical activity, get up and get moving for better health. After all, physical activity is the arthritis pain reliever!
