WEDNESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis benefited from combining the drugs methotrexate and Enbrel (etanercept), new research found.

The combination improved both remission and radiographic non-progression rates within one year compared with the standard treatment of methotrexate alone.

Patients on this regimen were also more likely to stay employed, according to a study in the current issue of The Lancet. The study was funded by Wyeth, the maker of Enbrel.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, some 1.3 million Americans live with rheumatoid arthritis, thought to be an autoimmune disease. The disease involves inflammation of the joints which can lead to both pain and disability. There is no cure for the condition, although several drugs can provide relief.

More than 500 outpatients who had not previously tried methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug, were randomly selected to receive either methotrexate alone (with the dosage increasing regularly) or methotrexate plus 50 milligrams a week of Enbrel.

Half of the patients receiving both drugs went into remission, while 94 percent had a "good/moderate" response. Only 28 percent on methotrexate alone went into remission, according to the study.

And, those on the combination therapy were three times less likely to have to stop working, compared with those taking methotrexate alone, said the study authors, from the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust in the United Kingdom.

Almost a quarter of patients who were working at the beginning of the trial and who were in the single-drug arm had to stop work by the end of one year, compared with only about 10 percent in the combination group.

More information

The Arthritis Foundation   has more on rheumatoid arthritis.

TUESDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Undergoing hip or joint replacement surgery may well be worth the trouble for older adults with severe osteoarthritis, researchers say.

In a new study, symptoms improved markedly more in patients who had undergone this type of surgery a year previously, relative to patients who had not had the procedure.

The findings, by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, were published in the July 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Although osteoarthritis, known as the "wear-and-tear" form of arthritis, can occur in individuals of all ages, it becomes more common as people age. According to the American College of Rheumatology, some 70 percent of people over the age of 70 have evidence of the disease on X-rays. Only half of these ever develop symptoms, however.

Still, with the rapid aging of the U.S. population, that means a sizable number of people will suffer anywhere from mild to extremely debilitating symptoms, experts say.

Osteoarthritis causes pain and can also restrict mobility and function. Medications and physical therapy often fall short in relieving symptoms in people with severe stages of the disease.

This study involved 174 men and women aged 65 and older (average age just over 75 years) who suffered from severe osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. During one year of follow-up, 29 percent of participants underwent joint replacement surgery, including 30 knee replacements and 21 hip replacements.

Although it often took weeks to recover from the surgery, those who chose this option tended to experience better outcomes.

The team noted that 45 percent of those participants who did not have surgery said that the procedure had not been offered to them as an option. These same individuals also tended to be older, have lower incomes, be anxious about potential complications with surgery and have a longer recovery as compared with individuals who underwent surgery.

More information

There's more on osteoarthritis at the Arthritis Foundation  .

(HealthDay News) -- Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the joints. Remedies may include lifestyle changes, medication and surgery designed to help control pain and minimize joint damage.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of possible treatments for rheumatoid arthritis:

• Range-of-motion exercises and other exercise routines devised by a physical therapist can help prevent or delay joint damage.
• Splints, braces and other supportive devices can help protect the joints.
• Heat or cold treatments can help ease pain and inflammation.
• Working with a physical therapist can help you learn how to protect your joints during daily activities and tasks, and how to use your joints when your arthritis is causing pain.
• Getting at least eight hours sleep at night and taking frequent rests during strenuous activities are recommended to ease joint stress.