Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for September 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.
News Media Under-Report Drug Company Funding of Research
TUESDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Reports on medication research published in general news media often fail to disclose that the research received pharmaceutical company funding and frequently refer to drugs by brand name rather than using the generic name, according to an article published in the Oct. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Bisphosphonate Infusion Linked to Ocular Complication
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians should be aware that bisphosphonate infusions can result in a serious but rare complication: orbital inflammatory disease, according to a case study published in the Sept. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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No Change to 2009 Part B Medicare Premium
MONDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- There will be no change to the Part B Standard Medicare premium in 2009 compared with 2008. This is the first time since 2000 that the premium has not risen over the prior year, according to an announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
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Antibiotic Resistance Has Become a Global Pandemic
FRIDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- A concerted international and national response, behavior change by consumers and providers, and the development of antibacterial agents are all urgently needed to tackle the global problem of rapidly increasing antibiotic resistance, according to an article published online Sept. 18 in BMJ.
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Six Genetic Loci Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The CD40 signaling pathway appears to be important in rheumatoid arthritis, and five other gene loci may be associated with the disease, according to research published online Sept. 14 in Nature Genetics.
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Exercise and Special Shoes Aid Osteoarthritis Patients
MONDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise programs focusing on muscle strengthening, and specialized shoes designed to decrease dynamic loads at the knee are promising therapies for osteoarthritis, according to two studies published in the Sept. 15 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Abstract - Hernandez-Molina
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Abstract - Shakoor
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Knee Injury and Obesity Increase Osteoarthritis Risk
FRIDAY, Sept. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Osteoarthritis represents a significant public health burden that might be lessened with weight loss and management interventions aimed at decreasing lifetime risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, according to a report in the Sept. 15 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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Many Pain Relievers Not Linked to Heart Risks
THURSDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Many coxibs and non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) don't appear to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease events, according to research published in the Aug. 15 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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Knee Surgery Does Not Improve Arthritis Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Arthroscopic surgery does not improve outcomes in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, and meniscal damage in the knee is not necessarily correlated with arthritis or joint problems, according to two studies published in the Sept. 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract - Kirkley
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Abstract - Englund
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Editorial
Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Higher Stroke Risk
MONDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an elevated risk of ischemic strokes and other strokes, and measures of arthritis severity help predict stroke, according to research published Aug. 15 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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