People taking drugs to treat arthritis may be also be protecting themselves against developing diabetes, according to a new study.

Researchers have discovered that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking drugs known as biologics can cut their risk of developing diabetes by 51%.

According to Arthritis Ireland, more than 40,000 people here suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, which is a very debilitating form of arthritis, and it is estimated that 15,000 of these arthritis sufferers also have diabetes.

Researchers in Pennsylvania in the United States looked at data on nearly 1,600 adults who had RA but did not have diabetes.

Of the 91 patients who developed diabetes, just 16 had used biologic drugs, compared with 75 who had never used these drugs. The research was published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research.

Biologic drugs are effective treatments which work by tackling the damaging joint inflammation found in rheumatoid arthritis.

According to Arthritis Ireland, the emergence of these drugs is the most important development in RA treatment in the past half-century.

"It is even more encouraging that this latest research indicates additional potential benefits from this innovative treatment."

Find our more about rheumatoid arthritis and the treatments for it in our online clinic.

See also www.arthritisireland.ie