ISTOCK.COM / STURTI Trial and error There are many types of research study, but one of the simplest is the randomised control trial, or RCT. An RCT is used to test a new drug, exercise plan or diet. The aim is to find out if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between an intervention, such as giving someone a certain drug, and an outcome, like having less pain. People are recruited to the RCT if they meet certain criteria. They are then assigned to either the control group or the active group. The control group is given a fake drug, known as a placebo, while the active group has the real drug. People do not know which group they are in. Usually the researchers do not know either, and if this happens, its known as a double-blind randomised control trial. The researchers look at any difference in performance between the two groups of people. The performance in the groups is measured on a particular scale, such as a pain scale. Statistical tests are used to analyse the data. This is to check that the results happened because of the experiment and not just by chance. This then gives an indication of the reliability of the results. The findings are written up into a journal article. Journals that feature research on arthritis include Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Nature Reviews Rheumatology, and Arthritis and Rheumatology. Vaccine could help pain of osteoarthritis A vaccine to target the pain of osteoarthritis (OA) could be an effective treatment for the condition, according to researchers. Scientists from the University of Oxford have created a vaccine that targets nerve growth factor (NGF), a key driver of pain in OA. In the study, the vaccine was used on mice, either before surgery or once pain was established. The treated mice had higher levels of antiNGF, and regular boosting with fresh vaccine was needed to keep these levels. The study shows that this NGF vaccine could be used to treat pain in people with OA. It could also be a more cost-effective and easier alternative to biological therapy. FAST FACT Three-quarters of people with rheumatoid arthritis are of working age when they are diagnosed* Win an Able Label outfit worth more than 150! *Arthritis Research UK, State of Musculoskeletal Health, 2018 News Win! Love clothes but find them fiddly to put on? The Able Label has a range of stylish womens clothes designed to make dressing easier. Weve got the Felicity floral print shirt, the Molly jersey cardigan, the Kerry super-stretch jeans and Olive clip-on earrings (below) to give away to one lucky reader! Send your name, address and contact number or email, along with your size, to: Able Label giveaway, CPL, 1 Cambridge Technopark, Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8PB, by 24 June, to be in with a chance. Please indicate on your entry if you are happy to have your details passed to The Able Label for marketing purposes. Good luck!