It is well known that hip fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality: Mortality increases 15–25% in the year following a hip fracture.1–5 We know that treating osteoporosis prevents fractures and improves patient survival. But is there a relationship beyond this? Several studies have found that bisphosphonate therapy is associated with a reduction in…
(Reuters Health)—Total knee replacement surgery can be a cost-effective procedure for patients with severe obesity and osteoarthritis (OA), even when they also have comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. Researchers did a cost-benefit analysis for two patient populations (over 65 years, and age 50 to 65) who had…
Clinicians can help their patients tap into personal resilience, and such characteristics as grit, gratitude and grace, to manage their chronic pain, says Afton L. Hassett, PsyD.
Clinical trials of biosimilar treatments, including a phase 1 study of SB17, which is biosimilar to ustekinumab, and two phase 3 studies investigating of SB16, which is biosimilar to denosumab, are currently recruiting.
ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—With the inevitable decline in organ function that comes with age, and the likelihood that older patients (i.e., generally defined as older than 60 or 70, depending on the study) are on more than one medication due to multiple comorbidities, therapeutic drug treatment for older patients requires persistent vigilance and know-how, two experts…
Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a condition that manifests as exposed, necrotic and non-healing jaw bone in patients who have been treated with bisphosphonates, denosumab, chemotherapeutic agents, anti-angiogenic drugs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, thalidomide and steroids.1-4 These medications are administered via intravenous, subcutaneous and oral routes to manage osteopenia; osteoporosis; hypercalcemia of malignancy; bone…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Long-term glucocorticoid users see greater gains in spine bone-mineral density when treated with the monoclonal antibody denosumab vs. oral alendronate, a small clinical trial shows. The drug also proved superior at lowering bone-turnover markers at 12 months, researchers in Hong Kong report in Bone.1 “Denosumab may be considered as an alternative first-line…
At the helm of the Collaborative Initiatives Special Committee (COIN), Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, MD, DrPH, will oversee projects to tackle disparities within rheumatologic care, improve the inclusiveness of ACR initiatives, advance professional development in rheumatology topics and more.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Denosumab showed biological efficacy against osteolysis after total hip replacement in a proof-of-concept trial. “Denosumab is already a well-established licensed drug for the indications of osteoporosis and metastatic bone lesions in cancer, and has been shown to be effective in reducing erosions in inflammatory arthritis,” Dr. Mark J.M. Wilkinson of the University…
Humans are not perfectly symmetrical. Almost everyone has one ear that’s higher or one foot that’s larger than the other. Similarly, leg lengths are often not quite the same. There is disagreement as to what constitutes a clinically significant difference, but some studies suggest that leg length discrepancy (LLD) can lead to osteoarthritis (OA) of…