Recent research has revealed promising potential in two rheumatoid arthritis drugs for reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
While some earlier studies had suggested that individuals with rheumatoid arthritis might have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, the mechanisms behind this reduced risk remained unclear.
The focus of this study was to investigate whether disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), a class of drugs used to manage rheumatoid arthritis, might play a role in this decreased risk.
Exploring the Rheumatoid Arthritis-Parkinson’s Connection
To delve deeper into this potential link, researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis using data from thousands of patients in Finland.
Their aim was to determine if DMARDs, such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine, gold preparations, or immunosuppressants, taken at least three years before a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, had any association with the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
Study Findings
The study, published in the journal Neurology, did not find any significant associations between most DMARDs and the risk of Parkinson’s disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
However, the researchers did uncover a noteworthy discovery: rheumatoid arthritis patients who had taken the DMARDs chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine were found to have a 26% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Both chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are known to affect the immune system and have demonstrated anti-Parkinson’s potential in animal studies, although it’s important to note that results from animal studies may not always directly translate to humans.
Calls for Further Investigation
The study’s lead author, Anne Paakinaho from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, emphasized the importance of further research to explore the potential protective effects of these two drugs against Parkinson’s disease.
This study, which received funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, took into account various factors such as the duration of rheumatoid arthritis, age, gender, and the presence of other health conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
The precise risk factors for Parkinson’s disease remain unclear, and earlier studies have produced conflicting findings regarding the connection between rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.
While this research provides valuable insights, ongoing investigation is necessary to better understand the complex relationship between these conditions and the potential role of DMARDs in mitigating Parkinson’s disease risk.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing Plant-based diets could protect cognitive health from air pollution.
The research findings can be found in Neurology.
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