Posts on ‘March 5th, 2009’

(HealthDay News) — arthritis isn’t just a disease of the elderly. Children may be affected by a disease called juvenile arthritis.

Early diagnosis and medical intervention is the key to improving the lives of the 400,000 Australians who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

Megan Johnston of Maple Grove is a lovely, athletic girl without a care in the world. At least, that’s how it looks on the outside. On the inside, Megan, 15, fights the pain of polyarticular juvenile arthritis every day.

Telomeres are the structures that cap the ends of a cell’s chromosomes. Their proper maintenance is important for preventing cancer and premature aging. White blood cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a deficiency in maintaining their telomeres, leading to the cells’ premature aging and a loss of discriminatory power for the immune system.