COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- A just-released Harvard study shows
that a treatment already proven safe and effective for rheumatoid arthritis is
equally effective for treating scleroderma. Long considered incurable,
scleroderma has no generally accepted successful treatment. Speaking in
Boston at the 6th Biennial Congress of the International Society for Rheumatic
Therapies, David E. Trentham, M.D., principal investigator of the study,
announced that minocycline had dramatic effects on 11 patients with early but
severe disease. In just one year, 82% of participants improved significantly,
with 66% of those who completed the study in complete remission -- free of all
disease activity.
"We suspected the study would result in remissions," explained Dr.
Trentham. "We did not expect the complete reversal of symptoms observed in
these patients. These results are highly, highly significant."
In 50% of cases, Scleroderma is fatal within ten years. No prior
treatments have proven successful and for patients with systemic scleroderma
there is no known cure. Typically, patients suffer a slow, painful death as
the disease destroys lungs, kidneys, heart and liver. The disease also
thickens the skin and disfigures facial features and body parts. As a result
of the study, sponsored jointly by The Road Back Foundation and The National
Institutes of Health, a new treatment now offers hope to patients who have
previously had none.
Released concurrently with the Harvard study, a new book by Henry
Scammell, "Scleroderma: The Proven Therapy That Can Save Your Life," is
published by M. Evans & Co., Inc. New York.
Having provided information to thousands of people worldwide, The Road
Back Foundation offers educational materials, protocol for medical
professionals and support to patients. Information is available by calling
740-881-5601 or by writing The Road Back Foundation, 4985 North Lake Hill Rd.,
Delaware, OH 43015-9249. Information is also available via the World Wide Web
at http://www.roadback.org.
SOURCE The Road Back Foundation
CONTACT: Amy Weirick of Weirick Communications, 614-527-9699, or
e-mail, weirickpr@compuserve.com
Web Site: http://www.roadback.org
