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  • ConfirmTkt Marks RCB’s Historic Finals Entry with Free Metro Rides on May 31st, 2026 for RCB Fans Across Bengaluru

    ConfirmTkt Marks RCB’s Historic Finals Entry with Free Metro Rides on May 31st, 2026 for RCB Fans Across Bengaluru

    Mumbai, May 29: ConfirmTkt, India’s leading authorised B2C online train ticketing and travel utility platform (an ixigo group company), and official train ticketing partner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), today announced a city-wide offer for RCB‘s entry into the Finals. On May 31st, 2026, the final match day, ConfirmTkt will offer free metro tickets on all Bengaluru Metro lines to every fan in the city, bookable directly through the ConfirmTkt app.

    The initiative is designed to make match day seamless – no parking nightmares, no last-minute scrambles, no long queues. Whether you’re heading out to watch the game from a fan zone across the city, or catching up with friends and family, ConfirmTkt is helping Bengaluru move together, travel smarter, and enjoy match day with ease.

    Offer Details

    •  Valid on: 31st May 2026 (Match Day only)

    •  Applicable on: All Bengaluru Metro lines

    •  How to claim: Open the ConfirmTkt app, navigate to Metro Tickets, and book your free ride

    •  T&Cs: Offer valid up to 2 times per user on the day, up to Rs. 100.

    Speaking on the offer, Dinesh Kumar Kotha, CEO, ixigo Trains & ConfirmTkt, said, “RCB’s journey to the finals is a proud moment for Bengaluru. As a brand that helps millions of people travel every day, we wanted to give something back to the city on this special occasion. By offering free metro rides, we’re helping fans skip the traffic and focus on what matters most, which is enjoying the match day experience with friends and family. We hope this initiative makes travel easier, greener, and more convenient for everyone across the city.”

    ConfirmTkt users can claim their free metro ride by downloading or opening the ConfirmTkt app and booking under the Metro Tickets section. The offer is valid for all metro lines across the Bengaluru network on May 31st, 2025.

  • Tembo Global Industries Ltd. Reports Robust Results for Q4 & FY26

    Tembo Global Industries Limited, a leading engineering-driven industrial solutions provider for sectors such as oil & gas, chemicals, construction, power, shipbuilding, nuclear, HVAC, and OEM installations is pleased to announce its impressive financial performance for the fourth quarter and year ended March 31, 2026.

    Consolidated Financial Highlights – Q4 & FY26

    Particulars

    Q4FY26

    Q4FY25

    YoY

    Q3FY26

    QoQ

    FY26

    FY25

    YoY

    (in INR Crores)

    Revenue from Operations

    346.0

    274.0

    26.3%

    250.7

    38.0%

    1,090.2

    743.2

    46.7%

    EBITDA

    39.0

    28.8

    35.2%

    43.2

    (9.7%)

    142.5

    91.7

    55.4%

    EBITDA margin

    11.3%

    10.5%

    75bps

    17.2%

    (596 bps)

    13.1%

    12.3%

    74 bps

    PAT

    30.1

    15.6

    93.3%

    26.1

    15.1%

    98.2

    54.7

    79.7%

    PAT margin

    8.7%

    5.7%

    302bps

    10.4%

    (173 bps)

    9.0%

    7.4%

    166 bps

    EPS (in INR)

    16.87

    8.84

    90.8%

    15.38

    9.7%

    51.23

    31.13

    64.6%

     Consolidated Financial Results – Q4 & FY26

    ·        Revenue:

    o   Revenues during Q4 FY26 grew by 26.3% YoY to INR 346 crores led by significant growth in Engineering segment

    o   FY26 Revenue stood at INR 1,090 crores, grew by 46.7% YoY

    ·        EBITDA:

    o   EBITDA for Q4 FY26 stood at INR 39 crores, up by 35.2% YoY; for FY26 stood at INR 143 crores, up by 55.4% YoY

    o   EBITDA Margin for Q4 FY26 stood at 11.3%, expanded by 75 bps YoY; FY26 EBITDA margins expanded by 74 bps YoY to 13.1%.

    ·        PAT:

    o   PAT during Q4 FY26 increased by 93.3% YoY to INR 30 crores; PAT margin stood at 8.7%, expanded by 302 bps YoY

    o   PAT during FY26 grew by 79.7% YoY to INR 98 crores; PAT margin expanded by 166 bps YoY to 9.0%

    Commenting on the significant performance, Managing Director of Tembo Global Industries, Mr. Sanjay J. Patel expressed his view:

    “FY26 has been a transformational year for Tembo Global Industries, marked by strong financial performance, execution excellence, and decisive progress across our strategic growth pillars. The Company delivered robust growth with revenues rising 46.7% YoY to INR 1,090 crore, while EBITDA and PAT grew by 55.4% and 79.7% YoY, respectively, reflecting improved scale, operating leverage, and disciplined execution.

    Engineering:

    Our Engineering Solutions segment remained the primary growth driver, scaling significantly on the back of strong demand from infrastructure-linked sectors such as oil & gas, marine, water, and EPC.

    EPC:

    During the year, we strengthened our global project credentials with our qualification as the L1 bidder for a prestigious offshore revamp project by a leading company in Kuwait, with an estimated value of ~INR 300 crore. The project involves complex engineering systems including fire protection, marine equipment, and integrated infrastructure, underscoring our ability to deliver high-value, technically demanding international assignments.

    Our order book remains robust at ~INR 1,548 crore, supported by a strong order bidding pipeline of over INR 2,256 crores, providing strong medium-term revenue visibility. Additionally, we are actively pursuing INR 700+ crore opportunities in port construction and fuel farm systems, further strengthening our EPC pipeline across civil, MEP, and HVAC segments.

    Solar:

    Our solar projects continue to advance in line with the planned timeline, with all sites expected to be fully operational by the end of Q2 FY27. Commercial operations in the solar segment are slated to commence from Q3 FY27, which are expected to contribute meaningfully to the Company’s diversified revenue streams and support its long-term growth strategy.

    Defence:

    A key highlight of the year has been our strategic entry and rapid progress in the defence manufacturing segment, where our subsidiary secured a Defence Manufacturing Licence from the Government of Maharashtra to establish a small arms facility following our WEF 2025 MoU with MIDC, along with a Government of India licence for ammunition manufacturing. Additionally, we have entered into an NDA with a leading defence PSU to explore opportunities in indigenous design, development, and production, strengthening our position in India’s defence ecosystem.

    These milestones collectively position Tembo to participate meaningfully in India’s defence indigenisation journey under initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, while opening long-term growth avenues in both domestic and export markets.

    Our balance sheet remains strong, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77:1 as of 31st March 2026. Even while undergoing a phase of capital expenditure, the company maintained healthy return ratios, with Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) at 18.4% and Return on Equity (ROE) at 20.0% as on 31st March 2026.

    Looking ahead, we remain focused on executing our strong order book, ramping up capacity utilisation, and scaling our presence across engineering, EPC, defence, and renewable energy businesses. With a strong pipeline, improved global participation, and clear visibility towards our growth targets, we expect to achieve revenues of approximately INR 1,600 crore in FY27, driven primarily by the engineering business. We are confident of sustaining our growth momentum and delivering long-term value for all stakeholders.”

  • FSSAI Seeks Explanation from IRCTC Over Alleged Hygiene Lapses in Train Catering Services

    New Delhi, May 29 (BNP): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a formal notice to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) over allegations of unhygienic practices in onboard catering services after a video circulating on social media allegedly showed utensils being washed inside a train toilet, raising serious concerns over passenger food safety and hygiene standards.

    FSSAI Seeks Explanation from IRCTC Over Alleged Hygiene Lapses in Train Catering Services

     Representational image

    Taking cognisance of the incident, FSSAI sought a detailed factual explanation from IRCTC and directed the agency to submit its comments on the matter. The food safety regulator observed that, if verified, the alleged practice would amount to a serious violation of hygiene and sanitary norms prescribed under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.

    Under the regulations, food business operators are required to maintain stringent hygiene protocols for food processing, handling, cleaning and washing to ensure that food and food-contact surfaces remain free from contamination. Officials emphasised that any lapse in compliance could pose potential health risks to passengers and undermine food safety standards in railway catering services.

    FSSAI further reiterated that adherence to food safety regulations is mandatory for all catering operations, including services managed directly by IRCTC as well as those handled through contractual personnel engaged in onboard food distribution.

    The incident has reignited public concern over hygiene and quality control in train catering, particularly on long-distance routes where thousands of passengers depend on onboard meals during travel. Experts and consumer groups have stressed the need for stricter monitoring, regular inspections and stronger enforcement of food safety protocols to improve accountability and ensure safe food handling practices.

    IRCTC is expected to respond to the notice and clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident, following which authorities may decide on appropriate corrective or regulatory measures.

    The development once again underscores the importance of maintaining high hygiene standards in mass transit systems, where lapses in food safety can have wide-reaching implications for public health and passenger confidence.

  • Role of Connectivity in Driving Residential Demand Across NCR

    For the better part of two decades, distance from Delhi determined the desirability of a residential address in the National Capital Region. Buyers tolerated longer commutes in exchange for affordability, and developers priced their offerings accordingly — discounting location to sell the product. That calculus has now fundamentally changed. Across NCR, the corridors once considered peripheral are today among the most actively absorbed residential markets in the country. The reason is not a shift in buyer preference alone. It is infrastructure — expressways completed, metro lines extended, and an international airport rising at Jewar  that has redrawn the region’s investment geography from the ground up.

    The transformation has been years in the making. The completion of the Dwarka Expressway across its full 29-kilometre stretch, the progressive expansion of the Delhi Metro network, and the operationalisation of the Noida International Airport at Jewar have together created a connectivity backbone that was previously absent. Infrastructure that once existed in master plans is now embedded in the daily commute of hundreds of thousands of residents. That shift from promise to pavement is what is driving residential demand at a scale the region has rarely witnessed.

    According to ANAROCK Research, average residential prices along Dwarka Expressway rose 83 %over the past decade, with the corridor recording a 58% year-on-year surge in Q4 2024. In the Noida-Greater Noida belt, the story is equally compelling as average housing prices in Greater Noida rose from Rs 3,340 per square foot in Q1 2020 to Rs 6,600 per square foot by Q1 2025, a 98% appreciation. Noida recorded the second-highest rise at 92%. Unsold inventory across NCR fell 51 %over the same five years, with inventory overhang dropping from 88 months to 17 months by Q1 2025.

    Yash Miglani, Managing Director, Migsun Group, says, “Today’s homebuyer does not compromise on connectivity and what has changed is that they no longer have to. What we are seeing specifically across Noida and Greater Noida is that the infrastructure investments made over the past decade are now fully visible on the ground, in the form of completed expressways, operational metro stations, and a functioning multimodal network.The fact that buyers are no longer asking whether the infrastructure will arrive, but which project best positions them within it, tells you everything about how far this region has come.”

    The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway corridor illustrates this evolution with particular clarity. Once defined largely by its distance from established urban centres, the corridor now benefits from multi-modal connectivity that places it among NCR‘s most accessible micro-markets. The Aqua Line metro connects key sectors directly to the Delhi Metro Blue Line interchange, while the Yamuna Expressway provides the arterial link southward toward Jewar. Buyer profiles along this stretch have visibly shifted — from investors seeking early-stage appreciation to end-users making considered, long-term lifestyle decisions. The emergence of large-format integrated developments offering green spaces, institutional amenities, and proximity to the upcoming film city and data centre hubs reflects the genuine depth of this demand.

    Kushagr Ansal, Director, Ansal Housing, says, “The Gurugram market has evolved steadily over the past three years, supported by ongoing infrastructure development and improved connectivity. Key corridors are witnessing growing interest from buyers who recognise the long-term value created by enhanced road networks, metro expansion, and proximity to major business districts. The buyers in this market today are informed and confident, with a clear inclination towards mid-to-large ticket sizes, reflecting sustained trust in both project delivery and the city’s infrastructure-led growth.”

    Gurugram’s Dwarka Expressway corridor tells a parallel story from the western flank of NCR. With the expressway now fully operational connecting Delhi’s Dwarka to Kherki Daula in Gurugram and substantially reducing travel time to Indira Gandhi International Airport — sectors along this stretch have recorded sharp capital appreciation. Demand has moved well beyond the investor community. Young professionals, nuclear families, and senior executives relocating from Delhi are actively choosing this corridor for its combination of connectivity, infrastructure quality, and value relative to saturated inner-city markets.

    Harvinder Singh Sikka, Chairperson, Sikka Group, says, “What we are witnessing across NCR is not a speculative cycle but a structural rerating of micro-markets that now have genuine infrastructure underpinning. Buyers today evaluate connectivity with precision — metro access, expressway proximity, and commute times have become non-negotiable parameters in the purchase decision. The corridors that have delivered on these parameters are seeing sustained end-user demand, not merely investor interest, and that distinction matters enormously for the long-term health of the market.”

    Therefore, what is unfolding across NCR is more than a real estate cycle. It is a structural reordering of where people choose to live, work, and invest, driven not by affordability alone but by the expanding geography of genuine urban opportunity. As expressways shorten distances, metro lines dissolve commute anxiety, and an international airport recasts an entire corridor’s economic identity, the map of desirable NCR addresses is being redrawn in real time. The buyers, developers, and investors arriving at this market today are not chasing speculation. They are responding, rationally and measurably, to the most reliable driver of residential value that exists but the infrastructure that actually delivers.

  • Fintech Week London returns with new city-wide festival to match the capital’s global fintech status

    Fintech Fringe is behind the bigger, bolder format with the backing of the Department for Business and Trade and London & Partners

    London, 29 May 2026: London has long earned its place as one of the world’s defining fintech centres. Dealroom’s latest report just confirmed London as the world’s number one fintech ecosystem – home to 137 unicorns and a combined enterprise value of $714 billion. 

    New York has a fintech week. Singapore has one too. It is time London stepped up a gear with its own fintech week to reinforce why London is the world’s best city to scale a fintech business.

    Fintech Week London returns from 7 to 11 September 2026 under new leadership, backed by Fintech Fringe founder Calypso Harland and the UK’s fast-growing fintech community. 

    Anchored by the Scale & Grow Summit on 9 and 10 September in central London, the event is expected to attract more than 1,500 founders, investors, financial institutions, policymakers, regulators and international fintech leaders to the capital.

    This year’s theme is Growth with Agency, and focuses on the practical questions now shaping fintech growth. Sessions will examine how AI is changing competitive advantage, how regulation is affecting growth strategies, how fintechs can access capital, and how the long-anticipated convergence of fintech, crypto and payments is beginning to reshape the market.

    Fintech Fringe is opening the week to companies, associations, communities and event organisers across London, inviting them to host their own events as part of a shared city-wide fintech moment. The model gives the wider ecosystem, including smaller companies and emerging communities, a way to access a larger audience and contribute to the global fintech conversation.

    Calypso Harland, Founder of Fintech Fringe, said:

    “London needs a fintech week that reflects the ecosystem itself: ambitious, practical, international and open to the people building what comes next. Fintech Week London is a platform for the whole city – from founders and investors to banks, regulators, associations and emerging communities. We’re here to rally everyone together and show the world why London is built to create champions.”

    Emma Banymandhub, CEO of The Payments Association, said:

    “Calypso is a natural collaborator and the perfect person to bring the ecosystem together to bridge the divide between fintech, crypto and payments. These communities often live in parallel universes, and bringing them together can only mean better things for the industry as a whole. The Payments Association is delighted to support.”

    The relaunch follows Fintech Fringe’s merger with Fintech Week London last year. Since launching in 2023, Fintech Fringe has grown rapidly, with its own festival tripling in size over three years. 

    Fintech Week London 2026 will run from 7 to 11 September, with the Scale & Grow Summit taking place from 9 to 10 September.

    For hosting, speaking and partnership opportunities, visit www.fintechweek.london.

  • The Leela Ambience Gurugram Introduces An Elevated Global Street Food Carnival

    The Leela Ambience Gurugram Introduces An Elevated Global Street Food Carnival

    Gurugram, May 29: Spectra at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences unveils the Spectra Street Carnival every Wednesday evening. This themed dining experience brings together iconic global street food flavours in an elevated luxury dining experience.

    This culinary affair takes guests on a flavourful journey of global street food destinations, featuring interactive live stations where guests can indulge in favourites such as artisanal Pizzas, flavourful Pad Thai, and perfectly grilled Yakitori, alongside a selection of internationally inspired specialties. To further enhance the experience, a specially curated beverage programme complements the menu and ambience, coming together to create a vibrant midweek dining occasion. 

  • Tesla Cybercab Drives Itself Out of GigaTexas Factory in Autonomous Breakthrough

    Austin, Texas, May 29 (BNP): In a striking demonstration of autonomous vehicle technology, Tesla’s Cybercab was seen driving itself out of the company’s Gigafactory Texas (GigaTexas), marking another milestone in the electric vehicle maker’s push toward fully autonomous transportation. Videos shared online showed multiple Cybercab units autonomously exiting the factory and navigating toward holding or staging areas without human drivers.

    Tesla Cybercab Drives Itself Out of GigaTexas Factory in Autonomous Breakthrough

    The development comes as Tesla accelerates production of its purpose-built autonomous vehicle, designed specifically for robotaxi operations. Unlike conventional vehicles, the Cybercab has been engineered without a steering wheel or pedals and is intended to function entirely through Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. Production of the vehicle began at GigaTexas earlier this year as part of the company’s broader strategy to expand autonomous mobility solutions.

    Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk recently shared footage of Cybercab units autonomously leaving the factory, describing the vehicle as “purpose-built for autonomy.” The footage has generated significant attention across the technology and automotive sectors, with supporters viewing it as a glimpse into the future of transport and critics pointing to ongoing regulatory and safety challenges surrounding fully driverless systems.

    The Cybercab forms a central pillar of Tesla’s long-term robotaxi vision, though the company has acknowledged that scaling autonomous operations will be gradual and subject to safety validation and regulatory approvals. Industry observers note that while autonomous production and factory movement represent technological progress, broader public deployment of fully driverless vehicles continues to face technical, legal and infrastructure-related scrutiny.

    The latest footage nevertheless signals Tesla’s increasing confidence in integrating autonomy not only into transportation services but also into manufacturing and vehicle logistics at scale.

  • German Indian Mobility Summit held at IIM Bangalore unites industry and policymakers

    Bangalore,  May 29: The German Indian Mobility Summit 2026 took place on the 26th of May  at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore), bringing together leading voices from industry, government, venture capital, mobility, and deep technology across India and Germany. Hosted by NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore in partnership with the German Indian Innovation Corridor  the summit focused on accelerating cross-border collaboration in mobility, industrial AI, infrastructure, and next-generation transport systems.

    German Indian Mobility Summit held at IIM Bangalore unites industry and policymakers

    The summit convened founders, corporates, investors, researchers, and policymakers for a full day of discussions around electric mobility, AI-driven transport systems, industrial transformation, logistics, public infrastructure, and innovation partnerships between Europe and India.

    Participants and speakers included representatives from Mercedes-Benz, Maruti Suzuki, Siemens Mobility, Fraunhofer, Indian Railways, FlixBus India, Ather Energy, Euler Motors, Exponent Energy, Agnikul Cosmos, Aapti Institute, GIZ, NSRCEL, Halusa Advisors, family offices, venture capital firms, and leading Indian mobility startups.

    The summit forms part of the broader German Indian Innovation Corridor (GIIC) initiative, which aims to strengthen long-term collaboration between India and Europe across strategic sectors including mobility, AI, manufacturing, healthcare, climate technology, and deep tech. 

    Discussions throughout the day focused not only on innovation itself, but on creating practical pathways to pilot projects, market entry, industrial cooperation, investment opportunities, and long-term institutional partnerships between both ecosystems.

    Jan Lachenmayer, Chair of the Executive Board,GIIC e.V. – German Indian Innovation Corridor said,

     “The first German Indian Mobility Summit at IIM Bangalore marks an important step toward a deeper Germany-India innovation partnership. At a time of industrial transformation and geopolitical uncertainty, Germany and India must step up and build together for the world, creating shared value by combining industrial excellence, technological innovation and entrepreneurial scale. Our vision at GIIC is to help shape a strong European-Indian axis of innovation leadership that drives global impact, resilience and geopolitical stability.”

    The Bangalore summit also marked the beginning of a broader week-long Indo-German programme featuring CXO roundtables, private leadership dinners, curated meetings, and institutional visits across India.

    The initiative continues on 29 May with the German Indian Innovation Summit at IIT Delhi in partnership with IvyCap Ventures, focusing on “AI for Industries” and the next phase of industrial transformation between India and Europe.

  • Aashirvaad turns “Kya Kha Ke Aya Hai” into nationwide protein-focused campaign

    May, 29: As conversations around protein consumption grow across India, Aashirvaad Atta with High Protein is reshaping how the country thinks about fulfilling this essential nutrient – making it simpler, more accessible and rooted in everyday habit.

    Aashirvaad turns “Kya Kha Ke Aya Hai” into nationwide protein-focused campaign

    Building on its promise of enabling protein intake through daily meals, Aashirvaad launches its latest campaign, ‘Kya Kha Ke Aaya Hai?’, transforming a widely used Indian expression into a powerful cultural cue for performance, strength and everyday power.

    In India, moments of extraordinary performance, whether on the cricket field, at home or in daily life, are often met with a familiar question: “Kya Kha Ke Aaya Hai!”

    With this campaign, Aashirvaad gives the question a new, meaningful answer.

    At the heart of the campaign is a simple insight: power doesn’t come from drastic changes; it comes from what we consistently eat every day. By anchoring protein in something as familiar as Roti, Aashirvaad is driving a shift from seeing protein as a specialised need to making it an effortless part of everyday nutrition.

    While protein has traditionally been associated with athletes, gym-goers or supplements, Aashirvaad Atta with High Protein makes it accessible to every household. Crafted with a thoughtfully selected blend of wheat, 10% soya (a source of complete protein), Bengal gram, and oats, the atta delivers approximately 15g of protein per 100g while retaining taste and softness of a roti.

    The campaign brings this philosophy alive through a series of high-energy films set against the backdrop of IPL, where moments of exceptional performance are humorously linked back to a deeply relatable answer: Roti. What begins as a light-hearted exchange quickly reveals a deeper message, that everyday food choices can power better performance.

    From a child showing unexpected energy on the playground to a parent powering through a busy day, the campaign extends the idea of “power” beyond sport – positioning protein not just as a nutrient, but as a key enabler of everyday performance.

    Set against the high-energy backdrop, the latest IPL-centric video commercial showcases a moment of hitting a towering six, followed by the now-iconic question, ‘Kya Kha Ke Aaya Hai’.  The twist lies in the answer: simple, familiar and deeply rooted in many Indian households – Roti. The film then transitions to showcasing rotis made with Aashirvaad Atta with High Protein, an effortless way to incorporate protein into a daily diet, as just three rotis provide nearly 25% of the daily protein requirement.

    With its blend of, humour, and relevance, the campaign brings a fresh perspective to everyday nutritious food, reminding consumers that better performance doesn’t come from complexity but from simple, sustained habits that start with what’s on your plate.

    On the launch, Anuj Rustagi- Business Unit Chief Executive, Staples ITC ltd. Said, 

    “With Kya Kha Ke Aaya Hai?’  we wanted to go beyond a communication campaign and create a cultural trigger. For a long time, protein has been seen as something that requires effort, change or supplementation. Our endeavour is to simplify that thinking – to show that something as familiar as roti can play a meaningful role in meeting daily protein needs. Through this campaign, we are reinforcing that better performance and everyday strength begin with small, consistent habits at home.”

    This IPL season, Aashirvaad Atta with High Protein invites India to rethink a familiar question – and discover that the answer to everyday nutrition and energy might already be on their plate.

    Aashirvaad Atta with High Protein is available on e-commerce platforms in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata, in 1kg and 5kg SKUs. 

  • Depression May Not Only Be a Consequence, But Also a Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis

    According to researchers at Semmelweis University, not only inflammation, but also sleep disorders, depression, obesity, and smoking may sustain persistent rheumatic symptoms. In their publications in the journals Nature Reviews Rheumatology and The Lancet Rheumatology, they also proposed a model that can help identify and treat the true causes of symptoms in time.

    Researchers at Semmelweis University analyzed how depression, smoking, obesity, sleep disorders, and other health problems are linked to difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis.

    Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. It affects tens of thousands of people in Hungary only. Most patients respond well to treatment, but 6–28 percent belong to the so-called “difficult-to-treat” group because they do not achieve lasting remission despite therapy.

    According to the publications in Nature Reviews Rheumatology and The Lancet Rheumatology, these factors may not only coexist with the disease but may also help maintain it.

    For example, pain and depression may reduce physical activity, increase body weight, worsen sleep and mood – all of which can feed back into pain and everyday functioning, creating a difficult-to-break “vicious cycle.”

    Depression May Not Only Be a Consequence, But Also a Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis

     

    The researchers not only identified these patterns but also developed a new model that could improve the treatment of such difficult-to-treat patients. Under the currently used “treat-to-target” therapeutic approach, patients’ conditions are regularly monitored using measurable indicators, and if treatment does not sufficiently reduce inflammation, therapy is adjusted – for example by increasing the medication dose or switching to another drug. However, according to the researchers, this approach can function not only as a therapy but also as a kind of “early warning system”: it can quickly indicate when symptoms may not be caused solely – or at all – by inflammation.

    “When target values improve but the patient still suffers from pain and fatigue, it is worth taking a step back. In such cases, instead of automatically prescribing more medication, doctors should look for what is maintaining the symptoms – whether it is chronic pain syndrome, depression, sleep disorders, or obesity,” said Dr. György Nagy, head of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Semmelweis University. The researchers themselves have observed that this approach can improve outcomes for difficult-to-treat patients, and in many cases it can also positively affect the doctor–patient relationship.

    Depression May Not Only Be a Consequence, But Also a Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis

     

    The researchers’ model has achieved major international recognition: the publications introducing the concept of “difficult-to-treat” disease and the related treatment strategy have already been cited more than a thousand times by other researchers. Moreover, the definition is now used worldwide not only in the context of rheumatoid arthritis but also in connection with other diseases.

    Meanwhile, the team is already working on the next steps: alongside their own research, they are planning to join projects that would use artificial intelligence to develop even more effective therapies for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

    “With AI-based pattern recognition, we could identify subgroups among patients, and with the help of these data we could create more effective, almost personalized treatment strategies for them,” explained Dr. Lilla Gunkl-Tóth, PhD student at Semmelweis University and first author of the publications.