Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Orthopedics for July 2015. 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.
Targeted Exercises Can Boost Men’s Bone Health
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Resistance and “jump” training can improve bone health in moderately active middle-aged men with osteopenia, according to a small new study. The findings were published online July 16 in Bone.
AMA Wants Doctor Input on EHRs, Meaningful Use
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) is encouraging clinicians to share their perspectives on electronic heath records (EHRs) and the meaningful use program.
U.S. Health Spending Projected to Rise 5.8 Percent By 2024
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — From 2014 to 2024, U.S. health spending growth is projected to increase by about 6 percent, according to a report published online July 28 in Health Affairs.
Total Knee Arthroplasty Effective Option for Rheumatoid Arthritis
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Total knee arthroplasty can temporarily return the joint to an earlier, better level of function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, new research suggests. The study was published online July 20 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Recalcitrant Back Pain Could Be Vertebral Osteomyelitis
THURSDAY, July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Vertebral osteomyelitis should be considered in cases of back or neck pain unresponsive to conservative measures and elevated inflammatory markers with or without fever, according to new guidelines from the Infectious Disease Society of America published online July 29 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Home-Based Device Beneficial for Obese Patients With Knee OA
THURSDAY, July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For obese individuals, a novel, biomechanical, home-based gait-training device is associated with improvements in gait parameters at three and 12 months, according to a study published online July 28 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
U.S. Medical Groups Fighting Prescription Opioid Abuse
THURSDAY, July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Led by the American Medical Association (AMA), a group of 27 major U.S. medical organizations are banding together to tackle the continuing epidemic of opioid abuse.
More Information – AMA
More Information – ACOG
More Information – AAFP
Early Surgery Tied to Increased Mortality in Polytraumatized
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For polytraumatized patients, surgery for thoracic spine trauma within 72 hours of trauma is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Doctors Perform First Double Hand Transplant in a Child
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A young Baltimore boy has two new transplanted hands to replace ones he lost to amputation five years ago, his doctors announced Tuesday.
Patients Report Improved Care Access, Better Health With ACA
TUESDAY, July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Millions more Americans have affordable health insurance, access to a personal doctor, and feel they are in better health following the first two open-enrollment periods of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new analysis shows. The results are published in the July 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
No Lasting Value for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Laminotomy
TUESDAY, July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with neural foraminal or lateral recess stenosis with unilateral leg neurogenic symptoms (NS), a minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approach offers no advantage over an open lumbar laminotomy approach in the longer term, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Not All Placebos Are Equal in Knee Osteoarthritis
TUESDAY, July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Not all placebos are equally effective for knee osteoarthritis and some can trigger clinically relevant responses, according to a review published online July 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Delays Noted in the Reporting of Serious Patient Harms to FDA
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — About 10 percent of cases where a drug does serious harm are not reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration within the required 15-day period, according to a new analysis published online July 27 as a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Beetroot Juice Supplementation May Help Lengthen Workouts
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Chronic supplementation with beetroot juice (BRJ), containing nitrate, has beneficial effects on the work of the heart in response to exercise, according to a study published online June 17 in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Earlier Physical Therapy May Help Older Patients With Back Pain
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For older adults presenting to their primary care providers with a new visit for back pain, early referral to physical therapy (PT) services results in no clinically meaningful differences in outcomes; however, the extent of improvement in symptoms may be greater, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Improved Care Transitions Needed Post Ambulatory Surgery
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients age 70 or older are at greater risk of unanticipated hospital admission within 30 days of ambulatory surgery, even after adjusting for comorbidities, according to a study published online July 22 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Expansion of High-Deductible Plans to Impact Physician Care
FRIDAY, July 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — As a result of the increasing popularity of high-deductible health care plans, patients now have more financial responsibility for medical services, which is impacting physician practices, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Clinicians May Harbor Biases About Sexual Orientation
FRIDAY, July 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Clinicians may be biased when it comes to the sexual orientation of patients, new research suggests. The study was published online July 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
FDA Approves Novel Leg Prosthesis for AKAs
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A prosthesis for people with above-the-knee amputations who cannot use a conventional device has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
AMA Suggests Ways to Encourage Use of Patient Portals
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Measures can be taken to encourage patients to use patient portals to help ensure practices meet current Stage 2 meaningful use requirements, according to an article published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Choosing Wisely: How to Implement in Clinical Practice
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Strategies should be adopted to help with implementation of the Choosing Wisely program, which was designed to address the problem of medical overuse, according to an article published in the July/August issue of Family Practice Management.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Standing Work May Have Long-Term Health Consequences
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Standing work is associated with increased muscle fatigue, according to a study published online June 5 in Human Factors.
Body Contact of Players Blamed for Most Soccer Concussions
TUESDAY, July 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — While many experts have called for a ban on “heading” the ball in youth soccer because they believe it is a leading cause of concussions, a new study suggests the body contact that often occurs during such play is to blame for most brain injuries. The findings were published online July 13 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Progress in Reporting Conflict of Interest Among IRB Members
TUESDAY, July 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among institutional review board (IRB) members, there has been positive progress in the reporting and management of conflicts of interest, according to a study published online July 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Arts Observation Curriculum May Be Beneficial for Medical Students
TUESDAY, July 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of an arts observation curriculum can help students learn to observe objectively and articulate their observations, which are important traits for clinical practice, according to an article published online July 3 in Academic Medicine.
Full Text
Lifestyle Intervention Can Ward Off Obesity-Related Knee Pain
MONDAY, July 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For overweight adults with diabetes mellitus, an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) can prevent knee pain, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
FDA Strengthens Heart Attack, Stroke Warning for NSAIDs
FRIDAY, July 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S Food and Drug Administration on Thursday strengthened the warning labels for non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), regarding increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
No ‘Downside’ With Residents Assisting During Surgery
TUESDAY, July 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients undergoing brain or spine surgery are at no greater risk if residents assist during the operation, a new study indicates. The findings were published recently in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Court Upholds Medical Liability Damages Cap
TUESDAY, July 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The non-economic damages cap under the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) has been upheld again in a California court of appeal, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Despite Risk to Patients, Health Providers Often Work While Sick
MONDAY, July 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many health care professionals work when they are sick, putting their patients at risk for serious illness or even death, according to a study published online July 6 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Disorganized Documentation Ups Peri-Op Communication Failures
MONDAY, July 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Communication failures in the perioperative setting often result from inaccurate or inaccessible documentation, as well as document overload, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Adolescent Lifestyle Not Strongly Tied to Later Muscular Pain
MONDAY, July 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Adverse health behaviors in adolescence are only moderately associated with later musculoskeletal pain in adulthood, according to a study published in the June issue of Pain Medicine.
Cherry Juice May Reduce Post-Exercise Respiratory Symptoms
MONDAY, July 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Consumption of Montmorency cherry juice (CJ) is associated with a reduction in the development of upper respiratory tract symptoms (URTS) after a marathon, according to a study published online May 11 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Full Text
Endurance Athletes Should Only Drink When Thirsty, Experts Say
THURSDAY, July 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Athletes should listen to their body and drink water only when thirsty to prevent exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) or “water intoxication.” The new guidelines were developed at the International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference in Carlsbad, Calif., and published in the July issue of the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.
Full Text
Public Opinion Sought on New Licensure for Assistant Physicians
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New classification of licensure for assistant physicians has been created, and public opinion is being sought by the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts prior to filing these rules with the Secretary of State’s Office and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
Copyright © 2015 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
