Treating Other Ills May Cut Diabetes Risk

People taking certain drugs for rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis may also reduce their risk of diabetes, a new study suggests. The study was based on insurance data. It included 13,905 people. All of them had rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. They were taking one or more medicines for their illness. None of them had diabetes at the start of the study. Researchers tracked their health for 12 years. They found that people taking certain drugs were less likely than others to develop diabetes. Risk of diabetes was reduced for those taking hydroxychloroquine or a type of drug called a TNF inhibitor. The study appeared in the journal Neurology. HealthDay News wrote about it June 21.