"Daily treatment with anakinra is effective in controlling the clinical manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), with a 61% improvement in spinal and sacroiliac joint (SIJ) enthesitis/osteitis, according to results of a three-month, open-label, proof-of-concept pilot study published in the September issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases."
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an implantable metal rod for children with thoracic insufficiency syndrome, desloratadine for pediatric use, a heel-stick test for congenital metabolic diseases in newborns, a microsurgical dilatation device for use in hemodialysis grafts, and a new formulation for digoxin."
"Although etidronate therapy can improve bone mineral density (BMD) in steroid-treated asthma patients, it offers little or no protection against fractures, new research suggests. Similarly, calcium therapy has no significant effects."
"Osteogenic protein 1 (OP-1) putty was found to perform similarly to autograft iliac bone with respect to safety, clinical outcomes, and radiographic success rate in patients undergoing decompression and fusion surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis with symptomatic stenosis, according to the results of a prospective, randomized, multicenter pilot study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine."
"Skeletal tuberculosis is thought to occur secondary to lymphohematogenous dissemination to the skeleton at the time of initial pulmonary infection.[1] There may be no radiographic evidence of pulmonary involvement in about 50% of patients.[2] Clinical and radiographic presentation of skeletal tuberculosis in patients from endemic areas differs from that of individuals from nonendemic areas.[3]"
"Beta-blocker therapy is associated with a significantly reduced risk of fractures when prescribed alone or in combination with thiazide diuretics, according to the results of a large, retrospective, population-based study published in the Sept. 15 issue of JAMA. "
Ibuprofen More Effective Than Acetaminophen for Osteoarthritis: "After a single dose or multiple daily doses for 14 days, analgesic doses of ibuprofen are more effective than paracetamol (acetaminophen in the U.S.) for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee or hip, according to the results of the randomized Ibuprofen, Paracetamol Study in Osteoarthritis (IPSO) trial published in the September issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases."
"Oral transmucosal fentanyl, which is currently indicated for chronic cancer pain, is also useful for pain control in trauma patients without immediate hospital access, such as in a combat situation, according to a report published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine for August."
"When patients who routinely take low-dose aspirin are also treated with a COX-2 selective inhibitor, the incidence of ulcers increases to a rate comparable to that seen with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to a report in the August issue of Gastroenterology."
"Several different approaches are currently used in the treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia, giving testimony to the fact that none is entirely satisfactory. Transfer of a vascularized fibula has been used successfully, but fixation can be difficult, with resulting angulation or nonunion. In addition, the fibula may take a very long time to hypertrophy to a diameter that offers the strength of a tibia. External fixation, often in concert with excision of the pseudarthrosis and bone transport, has also been used successfully. This technique is difficult because of the short bone and the bulk of the hardware, and, if bone transport is used, the movement of the section through the tissues and its ultimate docking with the distal segment may not go smoothly. Some patients, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to achieve union, went on to amputation."
"German researchers have successfully transplanted a mandibular bone graft that was grown in a man's own latissimus dorsi muscle. This approach, which creates bone from mineral blocks, avoids the problem of harvesting bone from another site, creating a secondary bone defect."
"This paper examines the relationship between rotational malalignment of the lower limb and patello-femoral pain. In particular, the researchers address the 'miserable malalignment syndrome,' which consists of coexisting internal torsion of the femur and external torsion of the tibia. They review 14 patients with 27 limbs exhibiting this syndrome and patello-femoral pain, all of whom failed conservative treatment. Patients averaged 85� of internal hip rotation and 33� of external rotation."
"Treatment of Femoral Shaft Fractures in Young Children: Comparison Between Conservative Treatment and Retrograde Flexible Nailing"
"This article presents the authors' experience with the first digital total-body radiographic scanning system in the Northern hemisphere. The system has proven to be especially useful in the assessment of multitrauma patients at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center."
A short course of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitor etanercept results in more sustained improvement in severe sciatica than standard care, according to the results of a pilot study published in the September issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
"Glucocorticoids do not reduce bone mineral density (BMD) in children with nephrotic syndrome, according to the results of a cross-sectional study published in the Aug. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The editorialist finds these results reassuring but notes numerous limitations"
"Post-exercise massage increases blood flow to skin but not to the femoral artery, potentially diverting blood flow away from recovering muscles, according to the results of a trial published in the August issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise."
"Six months of extended outpatient rehabilitation after hip fracture improved function and quality of life for community-dwelling, frail elderly patients, according to the results of a randomized trial published in the Aug. 18 issue of JAMA."
"Compared with women with median-range serum concentrations of vitamin A, those with higher or lower concentrations appear to be at increased risk of hip fracture, according to a report in the August 1st issue of the American Journal of Medicine."
I'm a resident in Orthopaedics and am interested in computers, movies, music and books. I'm in a rock band and am an aspiring songwriter as well.
