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Chronic Pain or Why Grandpa's arthritis Might be Killing Him
A Mystery by Dr. Christopher Maloney
4 Drew St., Augusta ME 04330
www.maloneymedical.com
(207) 623-1681
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
the cause of RA is still unknown, several factors:
susceptibility genes, disease-causing immune cells, and cytokine and signal promoting inflammation...none of these therapeutic
strategies can actually cure the disease. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2004 Nov-Dec;52(6):379-88
Numerous long-term studies in many settings have established that significant excess mortality is associated with rheumatoid
disease, and that this excess mortality is related to cardiovascular disease deaths
J Insur Med. 2004;36(3):200-12
What is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Although JCA is the most frequent rheumatic disease and the leading cause of invalidity, and one of the most frequent
chronic disease in children, we still do not know enough. The optimal treatment is still a challenge
Med Arh. 2004;58(3):163-6
What is Rheumatic Fever?
Chronic rheumatic diseases of the heart are considered to mean a disease characterized by a cardiac valvular lesion as
postinflammatory marginal fibrosis of valvular leaflets or cardiac abnormality (failure and/or stenosis) developed after prior
ARF. Emphasis is laid on the significance of evidence of Group A streptococcal infection that precedes the development of
the disease. Klin Med (Mosk). 2004;82(8):61-6
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an inflammatory sequela which occurs in 1-3% of children afflicted with group A beta-hemolytic
streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat). Pediatrician. 1986;13(4):180-8
The incidence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in the United States has been steadily declining for three decades, and by
the mid-1980s had virtually disappeared... report a clustering of 10 cases of ARF in young men undergoing basic training at
a recruit camp in San Diego, Calif. This was the first such outbreak in two decades...The rate of carditis (3 of 10 patients)
was similar to that in older studies of adults with ARF. All patients in our series suffered severe polyarthritis, anemia,
and fever, but only 60% gave any history of preceding pharyngitis.
JAMA. 1990 Mar 23-30;263(12):1633-4.
What is Kawasaki Disease?
etiology of Kawasaki disease (KD) remains unknown, although some infectious organism has been suggested as the cause...
no apparent difference in bacterial species in the throat Microbiol Immunol. 2004;48(11):899-903
Kawasaki disease is a clinical diagnosis made by exclusion and occurs mainly in infants and young children below the age
of 5 years. Fever and at least 3 of the other 4 frequent features are essential for diagnosis. Acute cardiovascular complications
vary from 30-60% Ann Acad Med Singapore. 1985 Oct;14(4):666-70
first described in Japan a decade ago, have now been reported in the United States. The etiology, epidemiology, and true
incidence remain to be determined. But since some 2% of victims develop severe cardiac complications and some may die suddenly
months after apparent complete recovery Hosp Pract. 1978 Sep;13(9):109-12, 119-20
of ongoing low grade inflammation late after the acute phase of Kawasaki disease in patients with coronary aneurysms Heart.
2004 Nov;90(11):1281-5
A peptide was constructed from the homologous portion of the staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) and streptococcal pyrogenic
enterotoxins Exp Mol Pathol. 2004 Apr;76(2):117-21
Several studies have suggested that Kawasaki disease is mediated by bacterial superantigens. The diagnosis is established
on clinical criteria since no specific laboratory test yet exists for this disorder while conversely both arthralgias and
liver function abnormalities are more common among adults
Rev Med Interne. 2003 Sep;24(9):577-84
Question: Is Rheumatoid Arthritis caused by a bacteria?
The patients who received homoeopathy did better than those who received salicylate (4 grams) Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1978
Nov;6(5):391-5
Tetracyclines, in particular minocycline, were associated with a clinically significant improvement in disease activity
in RA with no absolute increased risk of side effects J Rheumatol. 2003 Oct;30(10):2112-22
the findings of this investigation do not indicate that lactovegetarian diet has any beneficial effects Scand J Rheumatol.
1979;8(4):249-55
The rheumatoid arthritis patients eating the LF diet reported amelioration of their pain, swelling of joints and morning
stiffness which all got worse after finishing LF diet (LF is an uncooked vegan diet and consists of berries, fruits, vegetables
and roots, nuts, germinated seeds and sprouts, home made yogurt). Acta Physiol Hung. 1999;86(3-4):171-80
Large amounts of living lactobacilli consumed daily may also have positive effects on objective measures of rheumatoid
arthritis Br J Rheumatol. 1998 Mar;37(3):274-81
Shifting to the uncooked vegan diet significantly increased the intakes of energy and many nutrients. In spite of the
increased energy intake, the group on the vegan diet lost 9% of their body weight during the intervention period, indicating
a low availability of energy from the vegan diet. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1993 Oct;47(10):747-9
We conclude that a vegan diet changes the faecal microbial flora in RA patients, and changes in the faecal flora are associated
with improvement in RA activity. Br J Rheumatol. 1997 Jan;36(1):64-8
the fecal flora differed significantly between samples collected at time points at which there was substantial clinical
improvement and time points at which there were no or only minor improvements Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 May;71(5):1211-3
reduction in the mean anti-proteus titres at all time points during the study The decrease in anti-proteus titre was greater
in the patients who responded well to the vegetarian diet compared with diet non-responders and omnivores...suggestion of
an aetiopathogenetic role for P mirabilis in RA.
Ann Rheum Dis. 1995 Mar;54(3):221-4
If RA is caused by an inflammatory bacteria, and Kawasaki/Rheumatic Fever were also caused by a bacteria, is grandpa's
heart trouble a direct result of that same bacteria? Possibly.
Would any standard doctor check for this connection in an overweight 50 year old with heart trouble? NO.
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