Delayed diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis remains a significant and preventable cause of harm for Australian children. With many waiting months, some years, for specialist assessment, earlier recognition in primary care is critical to reducing long-term disability and improving outcomes.
New research from The University of Queensland team led by Prof Ranjeny Thomas, Dr Anne-Sophie Bergot and MD-PhD student Benjamin Cai suggests that ankylosing spondylitis may start when immune cells carry bacterial components from the gut to the joints in people who are genetically at risk. Traces of gut bacteria were found in the joints of disease-susceptible mice and patients. Supporting gut health and keeping macrophages quiet could create new routes to better manage AS.
The updated McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS have now been published, offering clinicians new tools to support earlier diagnosis, reduce uncertainty, and improve outcomes for Australians affected by the disease. Adoption into clinical practice is expected to follow as awareness and access to diagnostic tools grow.
Most of us have heard of Sjögren’s disease (or Sjögren’s syndrome), an autoimmune condition that targets moisture-producing glands. We associate it with dry eyes and dry mouth (sicca symptoms), and while those symptoms are certainly hallmark features, they are only part of the story.
New projections for the future burden of arthritis in Australia provide an important impetus for greater investment in arthritis to ensure Australia’s health system can capably meet future health care demand and deliver high value care
