Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for October 2009. 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.
Tai Chi Can Improve Pain and Function in Knee Arthritis
FRIDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The ancient Chinese exercise practice Tai Chi can reduce pain, preserve functionality, and improve personal well-being among subjects with knee osteoarthritis, according to a study published online Oct. 29 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Additional Recommendations for Imaging on the Rise
THURSDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Recommendations for additional imaging in radiology reports at one institution increased steeply in recent years, and from 1980 to 2006, radiologic and nuclear medicine procedures increased roughly 10-fold and 2.5 fold, respectively, according to two studies the November issue of Radiology.
Abstract - Sistrom
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Abstract - Mettler
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Overweight Patients May Have Effect on Doctor's Attitude
THURSDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians have lower respect for patients with high body mass index (BMI), which may have an impact on patient care and outcomes, according to a study published online Sept. 18 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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Medical School Enrollment Continues to Expand
MONDAY, Oct. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost 18,400 students enrolled in medical school in the United States in 2009, a 2 percent increase over the previous year, but even more expansion is needed to meet future demand, according to an Oct. 20 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
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Some Hospital Staff Predicted to Be Infection Superspreaders
THURSDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital staff such as therapists and radiologists who are in contact with all patients have the potential to be superspreaders of infection if they fail to wash their hands regularly, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Supervised Exercise Found Helpful in Treating Knee Pain
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) -- A program of supervised exercise is more effective than usual care in treating patellofemoral pain syndrome, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in BMJ.
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Sources Find Different Numbers of Active Physicians
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Estimates from U.S. Census Bureau surveys find fewer older physicians remaining active compared with the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile data, according to research published in the Oct. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Cardiovascular Disease Linked to Hip Fracture Risk
TUESDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of hip fracture is much higher for people who have a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study among Swedish twins reported in the Oct. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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FDA Launches Drug Disposal Advice Web Page
FRIDAY, Oct. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a new Web page for consumers to educate them on the safe disposal of certain medicines that can be dangerous or even fatal if they end up in the wrong hands.
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Corticosteroid Shot Helpful in Post-Pregnancy Back Pain
THURSDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Corticosteroid injections in the ischial spine can help relieve long-standing sacral low back pain that begins during pregnancy, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of Spine.
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Serious Pathology Uncommon in Low Back Pain Patients
THURSDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- In patients presenting to primary care settings with acute low back pain, previously undiagnosed serious spinal pathology is rare, and commonly asked "red flag" screening questions may not identify it, according to a study in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Pronation and Supination Compared for Pulled Elbow
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In the treatment of children with pulled elbow, limited evidence suggests that pronation may be a more effective and less painful manipulative intervention than the standard supination method, according to an review published online Oct. 7 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
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Study Finds Exercise Reduces Bone Loss During Lactation
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Lactating women who participate in a resistance and aerobic exercise program may experience less bone loss, according to a study published in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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Study Evaluates Hospital Quality and Mortality Rates
TUESDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital mortality rates in the United States have improved, although major differences in quality still exist between the best and worst hospitals, according to a report published Oct. 13 by HealthGrades.
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Retrovirus Linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
MONDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- A virus has been found in about two-thirds of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, according to a study published online Oct. 8 ahead of print in Science.
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Cytokines Linked to Knee Pain With Meniscal Injury
FRIDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Several inflammatory cytokines may play a role in the pain that develops following meniscal injuries in the knee, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Health Care Disparities Among States Found to Be Widening
FRIDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Increasing health care costs and growing disparities in coverage among U.S. states point to the urgent need for national health care reform, according to an Oct. 8 state-by-state report card from the Commonwealth Fund Commission, a private foundation supporting research on the health care system.
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Study Supports Surgery for Osgood-Schlatter Disease
FRIDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Surgical treatment of unresolved Osgood-Schlatter disease in young adults typically results in excellent or good functional outcomes, with rare reoperations, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Glatiramer Acetate May Delay Multiple Sclerosis Onset
THURSDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Early treatment with glatiramer acetate may delay the start of clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the PreCISe study published online Oct. 7 in The Lancet.
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Autoantibodies Against Osteoprotegerin Examined
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- A case of osteoporosis with high bone turnover in a relatively young man with celiac disease suggests a possible role for autoantibodies against osteoprotegerin in osteoporosis in patients with this condition, according to research published in the Oct. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Roundtable Discussion Tackles Health Care Reform
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The health care payment system, the role of consumers in responsible health care spending, and the use of comparative-effectiveness research were topics covered in a roundtable discussion with several health economics experts published in the Oct. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Perspective - Cutler
Medical Students Want More Practice of Medicine Training
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Medical students in the United States perceive that they are not getting enough training in the practice of medicine, particularly in medical economics, according to a study in the September issue of Academic Medicine.
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Many Chronic Low Back Pain Patients Recover Within a Year
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to common wisdom that patients with chronic low back pain can rarely recover, one-third of patients will recover in nine months, and four in 10 patients will recover within a year, according to a study published Oct. 6 in BMJ.
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Wrist Fractures Less Likely Evaluated for Osteoporosis
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Osteoporosis evaluation and management is less common in patients with wrist fractures than in those with hip and spine fractures, according to a national Korean cohort study published in the Oct. 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Effectiveness and Cost Help to Make Coverage Decisions
TUESDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Countries using evidence-based cost-effectiveness and effectiveness to help make drug coverage decisions show how these factors can successfully support decision making and can also be adapted to the specific conditions of other countries, according to a study in the Oct. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Expanded Health Coverage Could Save Money Later
TUESDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Expanding health coverage to adults may result in later savings from reduced Medicare spending on these individuals after they turn 65, especially for the uninsured with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or severe arthritis, according to research published online Oct. 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Prevalence of Alcohol as Self-Medication for Pain Assessed
MONDAY, Oct. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The use of alcohol as a self-management strategy for orofacial pain and arthritis raises concerns about potential interactions between alcohol and pain medications, according to research published in the September issue of the Journal of Pain.
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Surgical Masks Found to Be Non-Inferior to Respirators
THURSDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Surgical masks may be no less effective than N95 respirators in preventing influenza in health care workers, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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CDC Says States Not Meeting Fruit and Veggie Objectives
THURSDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- In a Sept. 29 press release, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says no U.S. state is currently meeting the national Healthy People 2010 objectives for fruit and vegetable consumption.
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Risk of Foot Pain Associated With Footwear Type
THURSDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Women who wear shoes that are of suboptimal design for feet are significantly more likely to report hindfoot pain than those who wear good shoes, according to a study in the Oct. 15 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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Physicians May Fail to Act on Electronic Alerts Quickly
THURSDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians using a system with electronic medical records and computerized alerts may not acknowledge or act upon critical imaging results in a timely manner, according to research published in the Sept. 28 Archives of Internal Medicine.
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