Nicotine for PMR?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Primarily for Eileen, but also for anyone else who has studied different ideas for reducing the production of cytokines.

2

Hmmm

is there a correlation between smokers and PMR incidence?

3

I seem to remember a correlation between alcohol consumption and RA. My first hint that my PMR was treatable was a night with 8 shots of tequila..... remission of full PMR symptoms for 8 hours.

4

I know there is a correlation between Parkingsons disease and nicotine, or so, smoking Neurologists say... They have to justify smoking somehow..

5

Er - no! I'm not into addictive substances...

However - this paper

Effects of nicotine on cell growth, migration, and production of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species by cementoblasts. by Chun-San Chen et al

says

"Concentrations of nicotine > 0.5mM were demonstrated to increase IL-6 secretion in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05)."

It is in vitro and maybe wouldn't translate to in vivo - but increased IL-6 wouldn't be good news in PMR:

Correlation of interleukin-6 production and disease activity in polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis. by Roche NE et al

concludes

"Increased production of IL-6, but not TNF alpha, is a characteristic finding in patients with PMR or GCA. Corticosteroids rapidly suppress IL-6 production but do not correct the underlying mechanism inducing the increased IL-6 production. The close correlation of plasma IL-6 concentrations with clinical symptoms suggests a direct contribution of this cytokine to the disease manifestations and presents the possibility that monitoring IL-6 levels would be useful in making decisions on adjustment of corticosteroid dosage in individual patients."

So no - no excuses for a crafty fag...

6

Sounds like "anesthesia" removes the pain of pmr. Not very conducive to a productive existence though- or maintaining fitness.🤡

(Retired anesthetist)

7

I think I'd rather take Dan's advice on this one - "8 hours pain free" can't be bad.  Next day would be a different matter!😨

8

This was not intoxication:

I went out on Cinco de Mayo 2013 and had the equilivant of 8 oz. of Tequila.

Came home at 10 pm. and while woozy, still had inflammation and malaise. Woke up at 4-5 AM, stood up, walked around the bedroom WITHOUT inflammation. Spent the day in remission, and by 5:30 PM, inflammation, was back. I reaffirmed my dedication to find a diagnosis and treatment, because I realized it could be treated. I had been to a VA rheumatoligist, who said "you're not inflamed" because I was sero-negative.

I have concluded that the alcohol either dehydrated  the synovial pressure of supressed my immune system. But I couldn't drink like that, and knew from that experience that i was treatable.

9

OR suuppressed my immune system.