Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for September 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.
Bacterial Infections Are a Factor in Many H1N1 Deaths
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients who have died of H1N1 influenza this year had a bacterial co-infection that likely contributed to their deaths, according to a Sept. 29 early release of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Leptin-Impaired Obese Mice Not Found to Develop Arthritis
TUESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In leptin-impaired mice, the resulting extreme obesity does not cause knee osteoarthritis, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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H1N1 Virus's Genetic Makeup Appears to Be Staying Stable
MONDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- The genetic makeup of the H1N1 flu has remained stable, which means the yet-to-be-released vaccine is likely to be a good match for the virus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced at a Sept. 25 media briefing.
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Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome Can Cause Lifelong Ills
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Children with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome are at increased risk for osteoporosis, hypertension, sperm abnormalities and cataracts if the condition persists beyond puberty, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Review Advises Hand Washing, Other Antiviral Measures
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Hand washing, wearing a mask, and isolating potential cases are all effective in interrupting the spread of viral respiratory infections and should be given greater attention when planning for widespread outbreaks, according to research published Sept. 22 in BMJ.
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Smoking Associated With Lupus Erythematosus
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lupus erythematosus but alcohol consumption is not, according to a study in the September issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Spotlight on Social Networking Use Among Medical Students
TUESDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- A majority of medical schools report instances of medical students posting unprofessional content on social networking Web sites, including some instances of violations of patient confidentiality, according to a report in the Sept. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Physician Medical Errors Linked to Fatigue and Burnout
TUESDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of medical error is associated with a host of factors related to physician fatigue, burnout, and mental and emotional well-being, according to a study in the Sept. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Sclerotic Skin Diseases Often Have Psychosocial Impact
MONDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- The chronic sclerotic skin diseases eosinophilic fasciitis and morphea can be accompanied by physical pain, psychological distress, perceived social stigmatization, and other impacts that combine to impair the patient's quality of life, according to a study in the September issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Scoliosis Surgery Linked to Good Long-Term Outcomes
MONDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- In the long term, patients who receive surgical treatment for scoliosis are no more likely to develop low back pain or have an impaired quality of life than the general population, according to two studies in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
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Pain Linked to Functional Decline in Middle-Aged Adults
MONDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- In middle-aged adults, pain is associated with an accelerated decline in physical function, with mobility limitations similar to those decades older without pain, according to a study in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Taxes on Sugared Sodas Could Cut Consumption
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Imposing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could reduce consumption and generate income for obesity reduction and healthy eating education interventions, according to an article published online Sept. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Exercise, Shockwave Therapy Compared for Shoulder Pain
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with subacromial shoulder pain, supervised exercise improves shoulder mobility and lessens pain better than extracorporeal shockwave treatment, according to a study published online Sept. 15 in BMJ.
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FDA Approves Four Vaccines for H1N1 Influenza
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved four H1N1 influenza vaccines, according to a Sept. 15 news release issued by the agency.
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Joint Pain Can Accompany Aromatase Therapy
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitors (AIs) adjunctively can experience joint pain, marked by fluid buildup in joints, localized inflammation of tendon sheaths, and carpal tunnel syndrome, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Drug Interaction E-Alerts Show Benefit to Patient Safety
MONDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Drug interaction alerts from electronic prescribing likely improve patient safety and reduce costs in outpatient care, despite the fact that over 90 percent of the alerts are overridden by physicians, according to a study in the Sept. 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Mutated H1N1 Virus Resistant to Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The discovery of H1N1 mutations resistant to the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir in two adolescent girls sharing a cabin at a North Carolina camp prompted a new recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the proper prophylactic use of antiviral drugs, according to a case report in the Sept. 11 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Satisfaction High Among Hip Replacement Patients
THURSDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Four years after total hip arthroplasty, most patients report that their preoperative expectations were either completely or somewhat fulfilled, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Compensation Status Doesn't Delay Canadians' Back Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9 (HealthDay News) -- In Canadian patients with sciatica from a herniated lumbar disc, compensation status has no effect on waiting times for elective surgical lumbar discectomy, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
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Costs Escalating for Patients With Spine Problems
TUESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Since 1997, national expenditures for spine conditions have dramatically increased, while self-reported mental and physical health and activity limitations in spine patients have significantly worsened, according to a study in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
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Antibiotic Class Linked to Double Vision
TUESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics is associated with double vision, according to a study in the September issue of Ophthalmology.
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Joint-Preserving Treatment Can Delay Hip Replacement
FRIDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Periacetabular osteotomy, or reorienting a shallow hip socket to better engage the head of the femur, can preserve hip-joint function and avoid a full hip replacement for years, according to a study in the Sept. 1 Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Parathyroid Hormone May Be Beneficial in Osteoporosis
FRIDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- In a rat model of osteopenia, parathyroid hormone has beneficial short-term effects on bone stability and microstructure when compared with estradiol, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
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Mutant Mice Offer Model for Study of Arthritis Pathogenesis
THURSDAY, Sept. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Mice with a defective gene that impairs collagen production needed for joint maintenance may provide a model for the investigation of the pathogenesis and treatment of osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease (DDD), according to a study in the September issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Academic Medical Centers Active and Diverse in Research
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Research at academic medical centers is active and diverse, with nearly a quarter of life-science researchers receiving no funding, and relationships with industry more commonly seen among translational and clinical researchers than basic science researchers, according to a study in the Sept. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Rheumatoid Vasculitis Prevalence Down Significantly
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of rheumatoid vasculitis, a rare complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has dropped among veterans with RA since the 1980s, possibly as the result of the increased use of biologic agents for RA, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Findings Point to Link Between Cholesterol and Bone Loss
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The RANKL protein may play a role in a relationship between oxidized lipids and immune-mediated bone loss, according to research published online Aug. 22 in Clinical Immunology.
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