A six-month intensive and individualized exercise program prevented the progression of scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine, in most girls and women with Rett syndrome taking part in a study. In two young patients, the intervention completely corrected the spine’s curve. “This result is highly significant as no spontaneous scoliosis curve…
Horizon Therapeutics has launched its #RAREis Representation program aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion among patients with rare diseases. There are about 400 million people worldwide living with a rare disease; for many of them, access to diagnosis, care, and treatments can be challenging. Accessing better care depends on…
Bionews, the publisher of this website, hosted a virtual panel discussion on Rare Disease Day 2022, taking a deeper dive into what it’s like to live with a rare disease, including conversations about advocacy, mental health, survivor’s guilt, treatment of minority patients, and more. The Monday event, “A…
A rare disease puts an economic burden on the patients, families, and caregivers that it affects, and will no doubt be an integral part of discussions on Rare Disease Day 2022, which brings international awareness about the more than 300 million people living with rare disorders. Part of that…
The protein MeCP2 normally forms a complex with several other proteins in the brain that helps to regulate the development of connections between brain cells, a study reported. These findings offer new insight into how Rett syndrome and other conditions caused by mutations affecting MECP2 can develop. The study…
The nonprofit RARE-X is creating an easily-accessible, centralized data hub for all rare disease patient data that can help researchers answer questions about existing disorders, discover new ones, and work toward finding treatments. It was spun out of the work that Nicole Boice, founder and chief engagement officer of…
It’s been nearly a year since the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases released its expansive report finding the total economic burden of rare disorders in the U.S. to be nearly $1 trillion.
A molecular sensor of infections called the NLRP3 inflammasome is overactive in immune cells of people with Rett syndrome, a new study reveals. The study, “The constitutive activation of TLR4-IRAK1- NFκB axis is involved in the early NLRP3 inflammasome response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of…
Since 2008, Rare Disease Day — the last day of February — has brought together patients, caregivers, family members, friends, and advocates from around the world to raise awareness and improve equity for the more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect more than 300 million people. In 2022, the…
People with Rett syndrome are likely to undergo an intervention at some point in their lives to ease their characteristic hand stereotypies, or continuous and purposeless hand movements, a Japanese study reported. Factors associated with this included age at diagnosis, walking difficulties, and the frequency of hand mouthing. Further studies…
Get regular updates to your inbox.