Malaria meds may help arthritis patients

Malaria medication may do more than treat one illness, scientists have said.

US health organisation Geisinger has conducted research into the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

Its study of 2,093 patients with arthritis showed 53 per cent of people taking HCQ did not go on to develop diabetes.

Diabetes usually affects more people with rheumatoid arthritis because they are more sedentary, suffer inflammation and take steroids that can cause weight gain.

Geisinger rheumatologist and study leader Androniki Bili said: "Given the relative safety and low cost of this generic drug, HCQ may be useful in preventing diabetes in other high-risk groups."

Researchers have so far been unable to pinpoint exactly how HCQ works, but reckoned it improves tolerance to glucose.

The findings were shown to the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting by Dr Bili in San Francisco.

A study by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine provided similar results, according to the Daily Diabetic.

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