Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Orthopedics for January 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.
Eye Tracking Could Quantify Symptoms of Brain Injury
THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Eye tracking may help quantify the severity of disconjugate eye movements associated with concussion and brain injury, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
Starting Football Young May Lead to Higher Cognitive Risks
THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Boys who start playing tackle football before the age of 12 may face a higher risk for neurological deficits as adults, according to research published online Jan. 28 in Neurology.
Benefits Package Important for Attracting, Retaining Staff
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An appropriately-targeted benefits package is crucial for attracting and retaining employees, according to an article published Jan. 22 in Medical Economics.
Postmenopausal Weight Loss or Gain Ups Risk of Fracture
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The risk of fractures increases with both weight gain and loss in older women, according to a new study published Jan. 27 in The BMJ.
Pre-Op Back Pain, Pain Sensitivity Predict Outcomes
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Preoperative back pain and individual pain sensitivity can predict postoperative pain following lumbar surgery, according to a study published in the December issue of Pain Medicine.
ASCO Reports Biggest Clinical Cancer Advances for 2015
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The biggest clinical cancer advances for 2015 have been identified in an annual report from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, published online Jan. 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Smaller Goals to Start Could Boost Activity in Sedentary
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Current targets call for 150 minutes of weekly exercise — or 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week — to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although these standards don’t need to be abandoned, they shouldn’t be the primary message about exercise for inactive people, experts argue in two separate analyses published Jan. 21 in The BMJ.
Full Text – Sparling
Full Text – Barreto
Increased Physical Activity Seen After TKR in Developing World
THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients in the developing world, total knee replacement (TKR) increases participation in physical activities in several life domains, according to a study published in the January issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Physicians Rank the Best EHR Systems of 2014
THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have ranked electronic health record (EHR) systems based on five key performance areas, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Acupuncture Viable for Pain Relief After Joint Replacement
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Acupuncture is a feasible adjunct therapy for short-term postsurgical pain management in total joint replacement, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in Pain Medicine.
Docs Should Negotiate Health Care Payer Contracts
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The terms in health care payer contracts are not immutable, and contracts should be negotiated, according to an article published Jan. 9 in Medical Economics.
Collaboration Between Med Students Cuts Diagnostic Errors
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For fourth-year medical students, working collaboratively is associated with a reduction in diagnostic errors, according to a research letter published in the Jan. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Meds/PT May Work As Well As Surgery for Spinal Stenosis
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Surgery and more conservative treatments provide similar long-term outcomes for people with spinal stenosis, according to research published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.
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Epidural Steroid Injections Tied to Small Surgery-Sparing Effect
MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with low back pain, epidural steroid injections (ESIs) could reduce the need for surgery, but the evidence is limited, according to research published in the Feb. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Most Docs Work 40 to 60 Hours Per Week
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians work long hours, with most working 40 to 60 hours per week and a considerable proportion working 61 to 80 or more hours per week, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Discectomy-Related Information on Internet Deemed Poor
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Discectomy-related information on the Internet is poor and of variable quality, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.
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Impact of Medical Scribes on EHR Advancement Discussed
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The increasing use of medical scribes should not be a replacement for improving electronic health records (EHRs), according to a viewpoint piece published online Dec. 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Defensive Medicine Common Among Surgeons, Radiologists
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Defensive medicine is commonly practiced among surgeons and radiologists in Austria, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Light Therapy Seems Promising for Nonspecific Back Pain
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For adults with chronic nonspecific back pain (CNBP), light therapy is associated with reduction in pain intensity and improvement in depressive symptoms, according to a study published in the December issue of Pain Medicine.
Working Long Hours? Beware Risky Alcohol Consumption
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Working long hours may raise the risk for alcohol abuse, according to a new study of more than 300,000 people from 14 countries. The report was published online Jan. 13 in The BMJ.
Major Risks of Long-Term Opioid Rx Deemed Dose-Dependent
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The long-term effectiveness and harms of opioids for chronic pain are unclear, although the evidence supports a dose-dependent risk for serious harms, according to a review published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Short-Term Effects of Middle School Football Analyzed
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Children who play football in middle school don’t appear to have any noticeable short-term brain damage from repeated hits to the head, new research suggests. The report was published online recently in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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Guidelines Presented for Clinical Documentation in 21st Century
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines have been developed for clinical documentation and interrelated issues. The position paper has been published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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AMA Reports on How Docs Use Their Free Time
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association recently surveyed physicians to find what activities they pursue when not in the exam room.
CDC: Occupationally Acquired HIV Now Rare
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Documented occupational acquisition of HIV has now become rare in the United States, according to research published in the Dec. 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Blood Markers May Reveal Active Spinal Degenerative Disease
THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Serum biomarkers may be a measure for assessment of active degenerative spinal disease in older adults, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Experts Discuss Pros and Cons of Maintenance of Certification
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The pros and cons of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) are discussed in two articles published in the Jan. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Full Text – Irons and Nora
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Compound Inheritance ID’d in Cases of Congenital Scoliosis
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In a case series of Han Chinese persons, compound inheritance of a rare null mutation and a hypomorphic allele accounted for a proportion of congenital scoliosis cases. These findings were published online Jan. 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Article Highlights Top Technology Challenges for 2015
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The introduction of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) audits, meaningful use 2, and the burdens of technology are the top four technological challenges for physicians in 2015, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Injections for Knee Arthritis Most Effective for Pain Relief
TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Using data from 137 studies, researchers have concluded that all of the widely used arthritis treatments provide more relief from knee pain over three months than do placebo pills. The findings are published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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More Attention to Cost-Utility Analyses Urged in Spine Care
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More attention to cost-utility analyses (CUA) research and the quality of these studies is needed in spine care, according to the authors of a review published in the Jan. 1 issue of Spine.
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Article Highlights Top Management Challenges for 2015
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Considerable challenges are projected to impact practice management in 2015, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
For Men, Income Linked to Changes in Bone Mineral Density
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For men, income, but not self-identified race/ethnicity or genetic ancestry, is associated with annualized percentage changes in bone mineral density (BMD), according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
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