LUMC researchers receive a € 10 million grant from the European Research Council for their research on the prevention of rheumatism. They are building on their discovery that patients who now have rheumatism had saccharified antibodies in their blood in the years before they developed symptoms.
Researchers want to tackle those antibodies. “If the factories that produce these antibodies are inhibited, we expect rheumatism to be prevented,” says rheumatology professor Tom Huizinga.
About 270,000 people in the Netherlands suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. This is a chronic inflammation of the joints. The symptoms are very disabling. Due to pain and stiffness in the joints, people are often unable to work.
damage to health
Researchers have been working on the prevention of rheumatism for nearly 20 years and believe it has a chance for success. “It’s wonderful that the Research Council is also aware of this,” says Huizinga. “We expect to go a long way with this large grant.”
ReumaNederland is pleased with the news. “Early diagnosis and early treatment are one of our important topics,” says Corné Baatenburg de Jong, Deputy Director of ReumaNederland. “People with departing (rheumatic) disorders must receive a good diagnosis and the right treatment as soon as possible. So that they know where they are and that unnecessary damage to health can be prevented. Or even better: so that the disease does not develop and perhaps even can be prevented “.
