Gout In Knee Symptoms Pain

FDA Panel Votes Down Safety of Novartis Gout Drug

Novartis ( NVS ) said an advisory committee for the Food and Drug Administration has voted against the safety of its gouty arthritis drug.

The committee, which historically has had a large influence on the FDA’s ultimate decision, voted in favor of the overall efficacy, but suggested the drug be used in a more narrow population of patients.

The drug, called ACZ885, or canakinumab, was tested as a treatment of gouty arthritis attacks in patients who cannot obtain adequate relief with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or colchicine.

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in adults and is characterized by recurrent attacks in the joints, particularly the toe, foot, ankle or knee.

In two late-stage studies for the drug, patients experienced superior pain relief at 72 hours and a significant reduction in the risk of new attacks over six months, compared to patients treated with the injectable steroid, triamcinolone acetonide.

"We continue to believe in the benefits of ACZ885 for this painful and debilitating disease and will work closely with the FDA to identify the right patient population who will benefit from this therapy," said Dr. Trevor Mundel, global head of development at Novartis.

The FDA will review the recommendation in its review of the supplemental biologics license application for ACZ885. The drug, which is also being reviewed in Canada and Switzerland, is being assessed by the FDA with a priority review voucher, which expedites review time to six months from 10. A decision is expected in the third-quarter of 2011.

ACZ885 is already approved in more than 45 countries as a treatment for Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Sydromes, which is a rare, lifelong, inflammatory disorder with debilitating symptoms.

Be Prepared - Signs and Symptoms of Gout - Arthritis Knee Pain Tx

One of the most common signs and symptoms of gout is severe pain in the big toe. This can get so bad that the person cannot stand having anything (even a light sheet) covering the toe. Needless to say, you cannot walk or wear footwear without it causing even more pain. It is recommended that you remain off the foot and elevate it while in pain. Applications of ice and heat do not usually help that much with gout. Some have found that using an ibuprofen muscle rub on the affected joint can help reduce the inflammation and lessen the pain considerably.

The signs and symptoms of gout can come on suddenly without warning. The joint may become swollen and turn red. It might also feel warm to the touch. There will also be a great deal of pain involved. The most important thing to remember is that this condition is not limited to your big toe. It can affect any and all joints even though attacking your feet is still considered one of the most common.

The signs and symptoms of gout can last a few hours to a few days. Some severe cases can last much longer than that into weeks at a time. This is a long time to be suffering. Since you will most likely not be able to walk around easily it can affect your life dramatically. If this condition is not treated it can lead to even more joint problems that will only complicate matters more. You can cause permanent damage to your joints by not treating gout.

JAMA., The Journal of the American Medical Association

Current Therapy in Pain

Therapeutic monthly

The American illustrated medical dictionary. 1900, [1st ed.]

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