KIMS Doctor Presents Paper on Use of Turmeric in Arthritis at ACR Annual Meet

Associate Professor of the Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Bhubaneswar Dr Sakir Ahmed has made an interesting finding on the role of curcumin, an active ingredient of turmeric in rheumatoid arthritis at the prestigious American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

ACR is the largest conference of rheumatology worldwide without 15,000-20,000 participants from various nations. Thousands of studies are presented of which only a handful are selected for platform presentation. One such study was presented by KIMS rheumatologist Dr Ahmed at the annual meet of Rheumatologists in Philadelphia, US.

The study was of the use of cur cumin for maintaining remission in rheumatoid arthritis. Worldwide annual sales of curcumin exceed$50 million, and more than half of it is pharmaceuticals. Similarly, large amounts are spent in India and abroad on research on turmeric.

This study showed that curcumin is not likely to maintain remission in rheumatoid arthritis even when the disease has been in remission for more than six months. Though a negative study, the finding has wide-spread implications that the role of curcumin in RA is limited.

This study was completed by Dr Sakir along with his collaborators at CARE (Centre for Arthritis and Rheumatism Excellence) Kochi and King George Medical College, Lucknow. The Director of CARE, Dr Padmanabha Shenoy planned and sponsored the study while Dr Sakir analysed and presented the final data.

Only two studies from India had won a platform presentation at the ACR this year. And it was Dr Sakir’s second platform presentation at the ACR (previous one being pre-COVID). Dr Sakir also presented another study as a poster on post-vaccination breakthroughs following COVID-19 infection in the disease known as Systemic Sclerosis. This study was an international survey with 16,328 respondents across 96 countries, and 50 authors with Dr Sakir being the first author.

Dr Sakir expresses his heartfelt gratitude to the Founder of KIIT-KISS-KIMS Prof Achyuta Samanta, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sasmita Samanta, Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof CBK Mohanty, KIMS Principal Prof Ambika Mohanty and HoD Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at KIMS Prof Ramnath Misra for their permission and support to attend the international meet in Philadelphia.