Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for July 2008. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Joint Replacement Linked to Cardiac Complications
THURSDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among total joint replacement surgery patients, two new risk factors -- revision surgery and bilateral joint replacement -- as well as traditional risk factors increase odds of cardiac complications, according to an article published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Device May Decrease Musculoskeletal Procedure Pain
THURSDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- A reciprocating procedure device decreases patient's pain during musculoskeletal procedures, improves outcomes and may decrease needlestick injuries to health care workers, according to an article published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Total Knee Arthroplasty Has Long-Term Benefits
TUESDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- The physical function benefits of total knee arthroplasty to treat osteoarthritis are sustained beyond five years and are seen in both obese and non-obese patients, according to the results of a study published online July 29 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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Osteoarthritis Increases in British Columbia Sample
MONDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Between 1996 and 2004, the incidence of osteoarthritis rose in British Columbia, Canada, because of aging of the population and other factors, according to research published online June 24 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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Collagen Treatment for Arthritis Holds Appeal
MONDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Oral administration of chicken type II collagen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis resulted in decreased pain and morning stiffness and other beneficial outcomes, according to research published in the July 15 Arthritis Care & Research.
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'Tier 4' Drugs Raise Questions About Affordability
WEDNESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- The emergence of a fourth tier of copayment for expensive drugs calls into question how Americans are going to handle the rising costs of health care, according to a perspective article in the July 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Consequences of Genetic Non-Discrimination Act Examined
WEDNESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- The Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act (GINA), recently signed into U.S. law, creates a troublesome distinction between those at genetic risk for a disease and those with other characteristics that predispose them to a condition, according to a perspective article published in the July 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Physicians to Get Bonus for Electronic Prescribing
WEDNESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors using an electronic prescriptions system will be eligible for a bonus from Medicare from 2009 onwards for four years, according to U.S. health officials.
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Older Patients May Not Voice Surgery Concerns
FRIDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults who are considering orthopaedic surgery may be reluctant to fully disclose their concerns to their surgeons, researchers report in the July issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Exception Reporting Improves Pay-for-Performance Benefits
THURSDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Pay-for-performance programs benefit from use of exclusion reporting, whereby certain patients are excluded from quality calculations, and the practice of excluding patients to disguise missed targets, known as gaming, is rare, according to study findings published in the July 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Medical Education Must Adapt to Changing Times
THURSDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Medical schools must adapt their admission requirements and curricula to changes in scientific theory, and are also facing a challenge to the traditional definition of who is suited to the study of medicine, according to two articles published in the July 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract - Dienstag
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Abstract - Jauhar
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Combination Therapy Superior for Rheumatoid Arthritis
WEDNESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Etanercept plus methotrexate is superior to methotrexate alone for clinical remission and radiographic non-progression of rheumatoid arthritis, according to an article published online July 16 in The Lancet.
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Editorial
AMA Actions Fostered U.S. Medical Racial Divide
TUESDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- From the post-Civil War years to the civil rights era a century later, the American Medical Association (AMA) made decisions that helped support a division between white and black Americans in the field of medicine in the United States, according to an article in the July 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Many Elderly Patients Not Offered Joint Replacement
TUESDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- While recovery may be lengthy, most elderly patients undergoing joint replacement have excellent outcomes, according to an article published in the July 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Adult Arthritis Drug Also Effective in Children
TUESDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Abatacept, a drug effective for adults with rheumatoid arthritis, is also effective compared with placebo in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis who had already shown an initial response to the drug and failed other treatments, according to an article published online July 15 in The Lancet.
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Editorial
Computer-Assisted Knee Arthroplasty Costs Evaluated
MONDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- The cost-effectiveness of computer-assisted surgery for total knee replacement depends on the annual hospital volume, with the technology providing less return on investment in lower-volume hospitals, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Health Cash Incentives for Poor People Debated
WEDNESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Should disadvantaged people be paid to take care of their health? That's the question of a "Head to Head" debate published online July 8 in BMJ.
Abstract - Cookson
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Abstract - Popay
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FDA Requests New Warning on Fluoroquinolone Labels
TUESDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Manufacturers of fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs must add a boxed warning to the product labeling that explains the increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in those taking the drugs, according to an alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday. The alert also notifies manufacturers that they should provide a medication guide to warn patients about the risk.
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High Birth Weight Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis
WEDNESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- In women, a high birth weight is independently associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to the results of a study published in the August issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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