PIONEERING research has been taken to the USA to help widen Southend Hospital’s reputation.

Scientists at the hospital have been looking into the painful and debilitating disease polymyalgia rheumatica, and the use of steroids to treat it.

Professor Bhaskar Dasgupta has gone to the American College of Rheumatology in Atlanta to explain how more accurate diagnosis criteria for the disease can reduce over-diagnosis and cut unnecessary use by patients of steroids, which can cause side-effects.

The research was carried out by Southend Hospital in conjunction with the giant US-based Mayo Clinic.

Prof Dasgupta, a consultant rheumatologist and the hospital’s clinical director of research and development, hopes the newly-published research will aid GPs.

The key symptoms of the disease are the onset of pain in both shoulders, inflammation of the blood and morning stiffness in the joints.

Prof Dasgupta said: “The disease is very difficult to diagnose correctly.

“A lot of patients are being over-treated needlessly with steroids and suffering serious side-effects like fractures, cataracts and diabetes.

“Additionally, the correct treatment for the patient’s actual condition is often delayed.”

The drugs industry is interested in developing new trials of therapies for the disease and these are also currently being discussed in Atlanta.

Prof Dasgupta added: “Southend Hospital is now a key base for clinical trials and observational studies in areas as diverse as oncology, stroke medicine, crucial care, ophthalmology and paediatrics as well as rheumatology.

“We have made a real name for ourselves.”