Prevalence, characteristics, and health burden of rheumatoid arthritis in the U.S. veteran population

Veterans in Northern Ireland: Evaluation of chronic pain experience, service type, and physical and mental health functioning

Background

Chronic pain is common and associated with disruptions in quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial functioning. These issues are particularly pronounced in veterans, although data in this regard primarily come from the United States Veterans Affairs System, meaning less is known regarding veterans of other countries and regions. The present study evaluated veterans living in Northern Ireland (NI), a region with historic high rates of both chronic pain and psychosocial difficulties associated with the decades-long period of civil and military conflict preceding the 1999 armistice (the Good Friday Agreement). Unique to the Northern Ireland military operation was the initiation of Home Service battalions comprised of local recruits, a role with increased risk due to the conflict's nature and the fact that they were serving as a military and security presence in their home region.

Methods

A cross-sectional assessment of veterans living in Northern Ireland (N = 722) provided details of service type (Home Service vs other service), current health conditions (including chronic pain), and current psychosocial functioning (including physical and mental health QoL, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms).

Results

Findings indicated that those with chronic pain had worse QoL, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Those with chronic pain were also more likely to have served in the Home Services, be unemployed, and be receiving disability payment. Contrary to hypotheses, there was no interaction between chronic pain and service type.

Conclusions

These results extend previous work with veterans to the unique circumstances of a post-conflict military that engaged in operations within its own country and underscore the need for coordinated, efficacious interventions for co-morbid chronic pain and anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity of Bombax buonopozense P. Beauv. leaves

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Bombax buonopozense (Bombacaceae) leaves have been used traditionally for arthritis in south-western Nigeria. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity of B. buonopozense in Complete Freund adjuvant-induce arthritic wistar rats.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

The plant leaves methanol extract and fractions were screened for preliminary phytochemicals and brine shrimp lethality was determined. Total phenolic content (TPC), Total flavonoid content (TFC) as well as anti-oxidant activity of the extract and fractions were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Cyclophosphamide, gallic acid, and ascorbic acid were used as standards respectively. Anti-arthritic activity of crude methanol extract (BBME) at 100, 200 and 400mg/kg was evaluated in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis model in rats. Data were analysed using Graph pad prism version 5, two-way and one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc test.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolics. The brine shrimp lethality assay of the crude extract and fractions gave LC50 value≥1000μg/mL, compared to Cyclophosphamide (LC50=224.7±0.35μg/mL). The BBME had TPC value of 19.8±0.56mg GAE/g, while the TFC of ethyl acetate fraction was the highest (173.5±0.05mg QE/g). The ethyl acetate fraction has the highest antioxidant activity (IC50=20.96±0.23μg/mL) as compared to ascorbic acid (2.8±0.01) and rutin (20.6±9.26μg/mL). BBME significantly reduced the paw circumference. BBME (400mg/kg) prevented biochemical changes to a greater extent than Celecoxib (20mg/kg). Bombax buonopozense leaves could be an effective antiarthritic and holds prospect in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.