Systematic Screening of Med Adherence Will ID Barriers
Tailored interventions will be feasible following systematic monitoring of adherence
Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Study Examines Outbreak of Spinal Infections in Michigan
Increased case finding may partially explain more cases found in Michigan
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Digital Divide Exists With Physician EHR Adoption
Adopters found to be optimistic about IT's potential, while non-adopters remain skeptical
Monday, May 20, 2013

Prednisolone Disturbs Carbohydrate Metabolism
Patients with inflammatory diseases should consider other anti-inflammatory agents
Friday, May 17, 2013

Little Evidence for Prediction Rules for Low Back Pain
Trials are of low quality and provide insufficient support of clinical prediction rules
Friday, May 17, 2013

Meds for Back Pain Tied to Higher Erectile Dysfunction Risk
Dose and duration of opioid use associated with increased odds of erectile dysfunction
Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Combination Osteoporosis Rx Further Improves Bone Density
Teriparatide and denosumab administered together more effective than either therapy alone
Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Guidelines Issued to Prevent Infection With Dental Work
Three recommendations to prevent orthopedic implant infection for patients having dental work
Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Self-Image Worse for Teens With Untreated Scoliosis
Also report worse pain, but difference is not clinically significant from unaffected
Monday, May 13, 2013

New FDA Survey to Assess Doc Attitudes on DTC Advertising
New survey will examine attitudes among non-physicians, including nurses, physician assistants
Monday, May 13, 2013

User Satisfaction With Electronic Health Records Down
Twelve percent decrease in user satisfaction since 2010; increase in very dissatisfied users
Friday, May 10, 2013

Poor Service, Bedside Manner Top Patients' Online Complaints
Review of 'rate-your-doctor' websites reveals patients' most common gripes
Friday, May 10, 2013

Smartphones, Smartphone Apps Increasingly Used by Docs
Two reports show use of smartphones and apps for professional purposes is increasing
Thursday, May 09, 2013

HHS Releases Data on Inpatient Charges for Hospital Services
HHS is also providing funding to data centers to collate, analyze, publish data to assist consumers
Thursday, May 09, 2013

Application for Health Coverage Has Been Simplified, Shortened
First-time consumers will be able to complete one three-page application, see all available options
Wednesday, May 08, 2013

PAS: Most High School Athletes Won't Report Concussion
Despite being knowledgeable about symptoms, most feel it's acceptable to play with a concussion
Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Diabetes, Hypertension Prevalent With Spinal Stenosis
Findings among nonelderly lumbar spinal stenosis patients, compared with controls
Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Patients Most Annoyed by Long Waits, Unclear Test Results
Survey regarding doctor's office grievances identifies patients' top pet peeves
Friday, May 03, 2013

CDC: About One in Five U.S. Adults Meets Exercise Guidelines
In 2011, 20.6 percent of adults met guidelines for both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening
Friday, May 03, 2013

AHA: Lifestyle Changes May Reduce Blood Clot Risk
Ideal levels of physical activity, body mass index most significantly linked to risk
Friday, May 03, 2013

Nearly One-Third Don't Pick Up New Osteoporosis Rx
Women receiving Rx from rheumatology, internist practicing 10 or more years more likely to get meds
Thursday, May 02, 2013

Health Industry Payment Details to Be Publicly Available
New CMS website will detail financial ties between drug, device manufacturers and docs, hospitals
Thursday, May 02, 2013

Manufacturers Donating Limbs to Boston Victims
Group vows to assist those whose insurance fails to cover costs for prosthetic legs
Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Renewed Efforts From AAFP to Repeal OTC Provision in ACA
Provision will increase costs to health care system; add to burden on physician offices
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

FDA Announces New Network to Focus Exclusively on Patients
Interactive tool designed to educate patients and advocates about processes of drug development
Monday, April 29, 2013

Medical Interns Spending Less Time With Patients
More time being spent at a computer since work hours were limited in 2011
Friday, April 26, 2013

One-Third of Female Marathon Runners Report Breast Pain
Breast cup size significantly related to reported symptoms of pain
Friday, April 26, 2013

Post-Fracture Targeting Boosts Osteoporosis Management
Mail-based interventions demonstrate better cost-effectiveness than usual care
Friday, April 26, 2013

Saturday Marks Sixth Annual Rx Drug Take-Back Day
Collection sites will be available around the country
Friday, April 26, 2013

Physicians Less Empathetic in Talking to Heavy Patients
Patient weight plays no role in quantity of physicians' biomedical communications
Thursday, April 25, 2013

Analgesics in Endurance Events Can Have Serious Adverse Effects
GI, kidney, and cardiovascular adverse events may increase with analgesic dose
Thursday, April 25, 2013

Diagnostic Errors Are the Leading Type of Malpractice Claim
Diagnosis-related payments from 1986 to 2010 totaled $38.8 billion
Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Outcomes No Worse With Home Call for Surgical Interns
Overall unadjusted morbidity and mortality rates no worse with home call versus in-hospital call
Monday, April 22, 2013

TEDMED: Patients Can Become Leaders on the Health Team
Communities can raise their own leaders; may be key approach to change at community level
Monday, April 22, 2013

TEDMED: Get the Joy Back Into Health and Wellness
Surgeon General talks about importance of bringing joy back into movement and medicine
Monday, April 22, 2013

Patient-Centered Decision Making Ups Health Outcomes
Health care outcomes improved for 71 percent of contextual factors that were addressed by PCDM
Friday, April 19, 2013

Patient Satisfaction Poor Indicator of Quality Surgical Care
Link between patient satisfaction and teamwork climate, safety climate, stress recognition
Friday, April 19, 2013

Family-Centered Teaching Rounds Good for Patients, Students
Higher patient satisfaction with exam room presentations; many residents have concerns
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Relative Proportion of MRSA Increasing in S. aureus Isolates
Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus becoming more resistant to antibiotics
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Community Benefit Spending Varies for Tax-Exempt Hospitals
Most spent on charity care, patient services; less spent on community health improvement
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Review Addresses Need for 'Sharps' Injury Prevention Efforts
Fatigue, inexperience play critical role; health and cost impact can be significant
Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Surgeons Support Nonphysician Screens for Low Back Pain
Canadian survey finds most support clinicians' standards in assessing discomfort
Friday, April 12, 2013

Speech Details Practices to Improve U.S. Health Systems
Mayo Clinic CEO outlines key steps to create high-quality, low-cost care in America
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Fusion Doesn't Up Reoperation Risk With Spinal Stenosis
Duration of pretreatment symptoms is only factor predictive of re-op after spinal stenosis surgery
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Readmission Rates ID'd After Spine Stenosis Decompression
Surgery with fusion is seen at 9.7 percent after one year; 7.2 percent for decompression alone
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Spinal Adjustment Relieves Symptoms Better Than NSAIDs
Study finds therapy significantly superior to anti-inflammatory drugs
Monday, April 08, 2013

Former College Athletes Don't Have Increased Depression Risk
Current sports athletes have a greater risk of unhappiness than former, graduated competitors
Monday, April 08, 2013

Acupuncture Reduces Pain of Chronic Low Back Discomfort
It's better than sham therapy with no significant effect on disability, depression, or general health
Monday, April 08, 2013

Many Uninsured Vets Will Be Eligible for Medicaid Under ACA
But most of uninsured will have new coverage options only if their state expands Medicaid
Friday, March 29, 2013

Using Internet Search Logs Can Help Identify Drug Interactions
Tool may alert authorities to potential problems and aid in surveillance of adverse events
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Study: Primary Care Extension Program Should Be Funded
Authors say PCEP important to improving public health, translating research into practice
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Regional Variation Noted in Prevalence of Delayed Care
Populations in counties with high prevalence likely to be Hispanic, have low income, chronic disease
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Inpatient Deaths Fell by 8 Percent in Last Decade
But total number of hospitalizations increased by 11 percent
Wednesday, March 27, 2013

AHA: Active Docs More Likely to Advise Patients to Be Active
Review sees link between health care providers' physical activity level, counseling offered
Friday, March 22, 2013

Mobility Impaired May Have Difficulty Accessing Docs
Inability to transfer patient from wheelchair to examination bed most commonly reported issue
Friday, March 22, 2013

Impact of Budget Sequestration on Health Care Discussed
Cuts will not be equal: Medicaid protected; 2 percent cut for Medicare; 8.2 percent cut for NIH
Thursday, March 21, 2013

Effect of Immigration Status on Medicaid Eligibility Discussed
Seventeen percent of low-income, uninsured nonelderly are unauthorized or recently legal
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Manual Osteopathic Treatment Improves Chronic Back Pain
Patients report pain relief, but not improvements in back functioning or work disability
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Total Knee Replacement Poses Large Public Health Burden
Prevalence of total knee replacement about 4.2 percent among U.S. adults aged 50 years or older
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

ER Discharge Dx/Disposition Discordant With Chief Complaint
Presenting complaints don't differ amongst patients needing primary care, urgent care, hospital admission
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures Common at 2011 AAOS Meeting
All featured symposia at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons disclosed conflicts
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

AAN Updates Guidelines for Sports Concussion Management
Updated guidelines suggest those with suspected concussion be suspended from play immediately
Monday, March 18, 2013

Final Rule in Notice of Benefit, Payment Parameters Issued
Rule expands on existing standards for risk adjustment, reinsurance, risk corridors
Friday, March 15, 2013

Exercise, Counseling Cut Days Off From Back Pain in Recruits
Used in addition to standard training, practices reduce clinic visits, time away from duties
Friday, March 15, 2013

Pharmaceutical Companies Are Reducing Promotional Spending
Much less spent to promote biologics compared with small molecule drugs, study finds
Friday, March 15, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges Will Mainly Be Run by Feds
Federal government will establish exchanges for 26 states; state-run exchanges for 17 states, D.C.
Friday, March 15, 2013

Sentinel Injuries Are Common in Infants Who Are Abused
Many found harmed have a history of suspicious wounds occurring before cruising age
Wednesday, March 13, 2013

$120 Million to Be Sequestered From Health Centers in 2013
Losses likely to be more severe for health centers that are especially grant dependent
Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Da Vinci Robot Used in Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Case report describes enhanced visualization inside disc space and surrounding areas
Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Little Evidence Red Flags Are Useful in Detecting Spinal Woes
In patients with lower back pain, a single indicator may or may not predict malignancy
Friday, March 08, 2013

Risk Factors ID'd for Massive Blood Loss in Scoliosis Surgery
Include pre-op Cobb angle larger than 50 degrees, osteotomy, or fusion of more than six levels
Friday, March 08, 2013

Double-Jointed Adolescents Risk Musculoskeletal Pain
Hypermobility likely to affect shoulder, knee, ankle/foot, particularly among the obese
Thursday, March 07, 2013

Clinical Trials Published Almost Two Years After Completion
Funding source, number of participants, and journal impact factor all affect time to publication
Wednesday, March 06, 2013

U.K. Health Performance Worse Than Comparable Countries
Tobacco, high blood pressure, high BMI leading risk factors for disability-adjusted life-years
Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Panel Recommends 10 Patient Safety Strategies
Ten strategies strongly encouraged for adoption; a further 12 strategies encouraged
Monday, March 04, 2013

CMS Reports on Progress Toward Improved Health Care
Progress includes slowing of growth in health care spending, decrease in readmissions
Monday, March 04, 2013

Sequestration to Impact Health Care-Related Programs
Medicare providers and medical researchers brace for cuts from fiscal impasse
Friday, March 01, 2013

Glycemic Control Not Linked to Adverse Outcomes After TKA
No increased risk of revision, deep infection, DVT, or PE with controlled or uncontrolled diabetes
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Preparation Underway for Implementation of ACA in 2014
Medicaid and CHIP are still main source of insurance coverage for children, pregnant women
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

USPSTF: Vitamin D, Calcium Supplements Don't Prevent Fx
For postmenopausal community-dwelling women, low-dose daily supplements not recommended
Monday, February 25, 2013

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits Expanded
New rule from HHS outlines standards for essential health benefits
Friday, February 22, 2013

CMS Proposes Payment and Policy Updates for 2014
Suggested changes will increase value and protection for beneficiaries
Thursday, February 21, 2013

Extended Dabigatran Effective for Venous Thromboembolism
Carries lower risk of major, clinically relevant bleeding than warfarin; higher risk than placebo
Thursday, February 21, 2013

Higher Risk of Hip Implant Failure for Women Than Men
After adjustment, women have 29 percent increased risk of all-cause revision
Thursday, February 21, 2013

Faster Adoption of Electronic Health Records Needed
Penalties under 2009 law start in 2015
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Multimodality Approach Needed to Reengineer Health Care
Rethinking, redesign, and application of necessary tools suggested for health care value reform
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

CMS: Unnecessary Medicare Regulations to Be Reformed
Proposed rule aims to increase ability of health care professionals to improve patient care
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Artificial Intelligence Can Improve Patient Care
Modeling shows that computers can improve medical decisions and outcomes at lower costs
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Program Cuts Unnecessary Referrals for Scoliosis in Teens
At two years post-intervention, sustained drop in referrals for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Health Care-Associated Infections Decreased in 2011
Largest drop in central line-associated bloodstream infections; surgical site infections also down
Friday, February 15, 2013

Self-Rated Health Measure Can Predict Outcomes in Knee OA
Single-item measure of self-rated health also mediates changes in social and mental health
Friday, February 15, 2013

General Anesthesia Ups Knee Replacement Complications
Superficial wound infections, blood transfusions, overall complications down after spinal anesthesia
Friday, February 15, 2013

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery Not Needed for All Skiers
Reevaluation at six to 12 weeks after injury can identify patients who do not need surgery
Thursday, February 14, 2013

IOM Urges International Action to Eradicate Fake Drugs
Falsified and substandard meds are ineffective; may trigger resistance and cause illness, death
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Psychological, Sexual Impact of Female Breadwinners Explored
Men who are outearned by their wives more likely to use erectile dysfunction medications
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Oregon Experiment Will Provide Insight Into ACO-Based Reform
Program centered on coordinated care organization highlights challenges of contracting with ACOs
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges Are Top Priority on U.S. Agenda
Fifty-five percent view establishment of insurance exchange as top policy priority for their state
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Obtaining Price Estimate for Hip Arthroplasty Found Difficult
Considerable variation in complete price in both top-ranked and non-top-ranked U.S. hospitals
Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Increasing Patient Activation Tied to Lower Health Care Costs
Having a higher score on the Patient Activation Measure linked to improved outcomes, lower costs
Monday, February 11, 2013

Less Benefit for Obese With Lumbar Disc Herniation Tx
Surgery beneficial versus non-operative treatment for obese and non-obese patients
Thursday, February 07, 2013

Risk Factors ID'd for Cervical Spinal Surgery Complications
Cardiac and pulmonary complications linked to increased risk of death within two years
Thursday, February 07, 2013

Review Finds Limited Value for Spinal Manipulation in Acute LBP
SMT found no more effective than inert interventions, sham SMT, as adjunct therapy in acute low back pain
Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Corticosteroids Worsen Long-Term Epicondylalgia Outcomes
Physical therapy has no significant impact on long-term outcome
Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Pre-Op Physiatry Consultation Reduces Spinal Surgery Rates
Mandatory consultation before surgical consultation reduces spinal surgeries, cuts costs
Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Single-Question Low Back Pain Severity Assessment Accurate
Findings correlate with other instruments measuring low back pain and function
Monday, February 04, 2013

Self-Rated Low Physical Capacity Tied to Low Back Pain
Odds of non-chronic, persistent LBP up for female health care workers with low physical capacity
Monday, February 04, 2013

More Complications for Inpatient Lumbar Discectomy
Thirty-day post-op complications significantly lower in outpatient surgeries
Monday, February 04, 2013

July Residency Influx Doesn't Impact Spinal Surgery Outcomes
Similar mortality, implant reactions, and post-op wound dehiscence after spine surgery
Friday, February 01, 2013

Knowing Cost of Imaging Tests Doesn't Cut Utilization
Provider cost transparency alone does not significantly impact use of inpatient imaging
Friday, February 01, 2013

Back Pain Researchers Identify Current Priorities
Patient subgroup analysis and translation into clinical practice ranked as most important
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Physicians Commonly Report Unsafe Hospital Workloads
Findings from an online survey of hospitalists show excess workload affects patient outcome
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy Better With Two Surgeons
Two-surgeon strategy reduces operative time, blood loss, and major postoperative complications
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Brain Scans Show Doctors Empathize With Patients
Regions associated with pain relief and reward activated
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

FDA Panel Votes for Tougher Restrictions on Hydrocodone
Panel votes in favor of moving hydrocodone combo products into Schedule II category
Friday, January 25, 2013

Psychological Factors Impact Upper-Extremity Disability
Catastrophic thinking, kinesiophobia important predictors of upper-extremity-specific disability
Thursday, January 24, 2013

Back Pain Intensity Most Influential in Fusion Decision
After adjustment, acceptance also linked to a history of spinal injections and being white
Thursday, January 24, 2013

Large Teaching Hospitals Face More Readmission Penalties
After adjustment, likelihood of being penalized highest for safety-net hospitals
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Care Transition Initiative Decreases Rehospitalizations
However, no significant reduction in 30-day rehospitalization as percent of hospital discharges
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

High BMI Increases Risk of Chronic Low Back Pain Later
Findings in a large population cohort, including those free of pain at baseline, followed for 11 years
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Early Predictors of Occupational Back Reinjury Identified
Reinjury in 25.8 percent of those who return to work, especially if male, prior similar injury
Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Efforts Failed to Up Primary Care, Rural Resident Training
Net growth in primary care training, but outpaced by growth in non-primary care training
Friday, January 18, 2013

Post-Laminectomy Spine Strength Can Be Predicted
Loss of shear stiffness and strength tied to bone measures, disc geometry, and degeneration
Thursday, January 17, 2013

Even Brief Interruptions Dramatically Increase Errors
Error rate doubled or tripled in response to brief interruptions of only 2.8 to 4.4 seconds
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Family Docs Are Early Adopters of Electronic Health Records
Sixty-eight percent currently use EHR systems; likely to surpass 80 percent by 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Improved Driving Reaction Times After Lumbar Disc Sx
Increased reactions times seen for patients with radiculopathy, which decrease after surgery
Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Certain Online Behaviors of Docs Warrant Investigation
Consensus in seven of ten vignettes; outcome less clear for other doc online behavior scenarios
Monday, January 14, 2013

Top Five Issues for Docs and Patients Identified for 2013
Issues include access to care, physician shortages, preparation for 30 million new patients
Monday, January 14, 2013

National U.S. Health Care Spending Relatively Stable
But during 2011, personal health care spending growth accelerated
Friday, January 11, 2013

Etanercept Seems Beneficial in Partial Spinal Cord Injury
In rabbits, etanercept correlates with enhanced clinical and electrophysiological recovery
Thursday, January 10, 2013

Lumbar Extensor Training Improves Chronic Back Pain
No muscular morphology changes seen despite clinically relevant functional improvement
Thursday, January 10, 2013

SPIRIT 2013 Clinical Trial Protocol Guidelines Issued
Thirty-three-item SPIRIT checklist will serve as guideline for the minimum content of clinical trial
Thursday, January 10, 2013

Multiple Stressors Contribute to Readmission Within 30 Days
Sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, pain and discomfort contribute to post-hospital syndrome
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Vitamin D Does Not Improve Knee OA Progression, Symptoms
Supplementation to raise levels above 36 ng/mL has no impact on knee pain, cartilage volume loss
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Impaired Cognition, Depression Common in Aging NFL Players
Linked to changes in white matter structure and cerebral blood flow
Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Health Care Use Dropped Among All During Recession
Little evidence of racial or ethnic disparities, except for fewer physician visits for Hispanics
Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Cervical Spine Instabilities Frequently Develop in RA
Within about five years, 43.6 percent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis develop instability
Monday, January 07, 2013

Shared Savings May Promote Care Coordination Entity Use
Sharing savings with dually eligible patients may foster enrollment in coordinated care entities
Monday, January 07, 2013

Fracture Risk Down With Adherence to Bisphosphonates
Second study shows more than half of U.S. vets with rheumatoid arthritis are non-adherent
Thursday, January 03, 2013

Direct Costs for Low Back Pain Care in U.K. Are Substantial
Primary care consultations account for the majority of care costs
Thursday, January 03, 2013

Association Between Health Care Cost, Quality Inconsistent
Review of 61 studies shows inconsistent evidence for the direction of the association
Thursday, January 03, 2013

House Joins Senate to Avert Medicare Cuts
U.S. health care could be significantly affected by failure to reach 'fiscal cliff' agreement
Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Surgery Consultation Common After MRI of the Spine
Patients in primary setting are often referred for consultations but rarely undergo surgery
Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Surgical Never Events Costly, Cause Considerable Harm
Payment increases based on severity of harm to patient, for docs with multiple malpractice reports
Friday, December 28, 2012

Spanish Registry IDs Predictors of Low Back Pain Improvement
Predictors identified for low back pain, pain down the leg, disability improvement at three months
Thursday, December 20, 2012

Substantial Morbidity, Mortality From Fungus-Tainted Steroid
In 19 states, 590 cases of infection, 37 deaths tied to three lots of contaminated glucocorticoid
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Denosumab Does Not Delay Nonvertebral Fracture Healing
No delay of healing or contribution to other complications for postmenopausal women
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

For Whiplash, Usual Care, Single PT Session Found Adequate
No added benefit of active management in ER; PT package more costly, modest early benefit
Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Health Care Satisfaction Rated As High by Unacculturated Hispanics
Unacculturated or biculturated Hispanics give higher ratings for health care experiences
Monday, December 17, 2012

Risk Factors ID'd for Revision of Total Hip Replacement
Younger, taller, heavier patients at greater risk of revision of primary total hip replacement
Monday, December 17, 2012

Surgery, Exercise Long-Term Outcomes Equal for Back Pain
More operated patients use pain meds, are out of work versus cognitive intervention plus exercise
Monday, December 17, 2012

Omega-3 Supplements Don't Increase Surgical Blood Loss
For patients taking n-3FA, no difference in peri-op blood loss during spinal fusion procedures
Friday, December 14, 2012

Trunk Exercise Reduces Pain, Disability in Low Back Pain
Significantly reduces disability and pain but no difference in anticipatory postural adjustment
Friday, December 14, 2012

Exercise Performance Enhanced With Virtual Partner
Biggest increase in exercise duration for those who exercise with a superior virtual partner
Thursday, December 13, 2012

NSAIDs Exacerbate Exercise-Induced Small Intestinal Injury
NSAIDs induce gut barrier dysfunction in healthy athletes; extent of injury tied to barrier dysfunction
Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Degeneration Similar With, Without Disc Prosthesis Surgery
No difference in development of adjacent level degeneration; facet arthropathy up post-surgery
Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Smoking Cessation Cuts Pain in Patients With Spine Disorders
Patients who quit during course of care have significantly greater improvements in pain ratings
Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Readmission Seen in ~7 Percent of Elective Spine Surgeries
Significant predictors include older age, greater comorbidity, larger number of fused levels
Monday, December 10, 2012

Spinal Fusion Surgery Not Associated With Stroke
Study examines risk up to three years after posterior lumbar spinal fusion surgery
Monday, December 10, 2012

Spine Education Seems Ineffective in Pain Prevention
Quality of reviewed articles low; only one large study with acceptable methodological quality
Friday, December 07, 2012

No Evidence That Doping Enhances Athletic Performance
Literature review fails to find evidence that rHuEPO enhances performance
Friday, December 07, 2012

Evidence Supports Premise: OR Distractions Up Surgical Errors
Simulation study of surgical trainees finds interrupting questions, sidebar conversations most disruptive
Thursday, December 06, 2012

FDA: Public-Private Venture Set to Improve Regulatory Science
Medical Device Innovation Consortium will collaborate with FDA to better evaluate new devices
Thursday, December 06, 2012

Epidural Steroid Shot Has Adverse Effect on Bone Density
Findings seen in postmenopausal women being treated for pain associated with radiculopathy
Monday, December 03, 2012

Increasing Number of Workers in Self-Insured Health Plans
In 2011, 58.5 percent with health coverage self-insured; increase driven by large employers
Monday, December 03, 2012

Noninvasive Method Improves Movement in Spinal Cord Injury
Paired noninvasive stimulation temporarily improves voluntary hand movement
Friday, November 30, 2012

Worse Outcomes for Total Joint Arthroplasty in RA Versus OA
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have increased risk of dislocation after THA, infection after TKA
Friday, November 30, 2012

Editorial: Too Much Vigorous Exercise Can Damage Heart
Extreme exercise may erase cardiovascular benefits achieved with moderate exercise
Thursday, November 29, 2012

School Posture Education Improves Healthy Backpack Use
Significant improvement in healthy backpack use habits post-intervention, three months later
Thursday, November 29, 2012

Political Leaders Face Voter Opposition to Medicare Cuts
Voter poll analysis portends conflict in ACA implementation
Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Doc Earnings Growth Lags Behind Other Health Professionals
Adjusted physician earnings dropped by 1.6 percent from 1996-2000 to 2006-2010
Tuesday, November 27, 2012

ECG Screening of Athletes in the U.S. Would Be Too Costly
Cost-projection model estimates such a program would cost more than $10 million per life saved
Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Pediatric Inflatable Bouncer-Related Injuries Up in U.S.
Number of annual injuries and rate more than doubled from 2008 to 2010
Monday, November 26, 2012

Obama Administration Moving Forward With Health Care Law
From 2014, insurance companies prohibited from discrimination based on pre-existing conditions
Wednesday, November 21, 2012

~40% of Post-Op Complications Occur After Discharge
Patients with post-discharge complications have increased rates of reoperation, 30-day death
Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Novel Device Benefits Type 3 Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Thoracic elongation with device viable for children with type 3 OI, thoracic insufficiency syndrome
Tuesday, November 20, 2012

More Adolescents Are Engaging in Muscle-Enhancing Behavior
Behaviors more common in boys; correlate with grade level, Asian race, BMI, sports participation
Monday, November 19, 2012

Mental Illness, Job Stress Both Factors in Physician Suicides
Docs more likely to have antipsychotics, barbiturates, not antidepressants on toxicology testing
Friday, November 16, 2012

Tests Don't Predict Outcome After Spine Fusion for Back Pain
Current tests don't have prognostic accuracy for selection of patients with chronic low back pain
Thursday, November 15, 2012

Soccer Players Have Alterations in White Matter Integrity
Findings in soccer players without symptomatic concussions, compared with swimmers
Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Efficacy of Corticosteroid Injection for Sciatica Reviewed
Meta-analysis shows small short-term relief for leg pain, disability; however, little long-term benefit
Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Lack of Resources ID'd in Peds Concussion Management
Pediatric primary care and emergency medicine providers often care for concussion patients
Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Disc Disease Severity Doesn't Predict Surgical Outcomes
Measures of disc degeneration not linked to patient's outcome after total disc replacement
Thursday, November 08, 2012

Even Physically Active Women Found to Sit Too Much
Women who meet exercise recommendations spend as much time sitting as those who don't exercise
Thursday, November 08, 2012

Few PT Interventions Effective for Knee Osteoarthritis
Some studies demonstrate benefit from specific exercise interventions and ultrasonography
Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Factors Impacting Benefit of Exercise in Knee OA Identified
Self-reported knee instability, fear of exercise linked to response to therapeutic exercise
Friday, November 02, 2012

Rates, Causes of Spinal Surgery-Tied Mortality Quantified
Overall rate of 1.8 per 1,000; varies based on factors including patient age, indication for surgery
Friday, November 02, 2012

Sedentary Behavior Worsens Decline in Cerebral Palsy
Physical activity may improve muscle function and reduce chronic disease
Friday, November 02, 2012

Revision Hip Replacement Risk Highest During First 18 Months
Risk also higher in patients 65 to 75 years old at surgery
Friday, November 02, 2012

Obesity Ups Complications After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Increase in odds of infection, deep infection requiring surgical debridement, revision for any reason
Thursday, November 01, 2012

Neuraxial Anesthesia Beneficial for Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty
Lower rate of blood transfusions compared with general anesthesia
Thursday, November 01, 2012

Once-Yearly Zoledronic Acid Benefits Men With Osteoporosis
Significant drop in risk of new vertebral fractures, increased bone density, lower bone turnover
Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Scoliosis Surgery Improves Adolescents' Quality of Life
Six- and 12-month QOL significantly better, independent of curve correction or instrumentation
Wednesday, October 31, 2012

U.S. Medicare Spending on Elderly Has Outpaced Canada's
Growth three times faster in the U.S., while Canada offers more comprehensive benefits
Tuesday, October 30, 2012

High Costs for Early Retirement Due to Spinal Disorders
Early retirement affects individual earnings, welfare payments, and government revenue
Friday, October 26, 2012

Surgery Center Influences Outcomes in Spinal Surgery
Outcomes vary by center choice for lumbar stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis surgery
Thursday, October 25, 2012

Genuine Very Large Effects in Trials Rare in Medicine
Very large effects typically seen in small trials and diminish subsequently; seldom address mortality
Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Lower Extremity Pain Negatively Impacts Obese Children
Reduced physical function and psychosocial health for obese children with lower extremity pain
Monday, October 22, 2012

Prognostic Factors Identified for Intramedullary Tibial Nailing
Baseline fracture, surgical factors up risk of adverse outcome after surgery for tibial shaft fx
Friday, October 19, 2012

Procedure Can Treat Stiff-Knee Gait in Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Distal rectus femoris transfer effective for stiff-knee gait with reduced peak knee flexion in swing phase
Friday, October 19, 2012

Criteria Variable for Concussion Diagnosis in College Athletes
Concussions not always linked with impact event; diagnosis often delayed, based on self-report
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Patellofemoral Disease Features Analyzed in Osteoarthritis
Severe coexisting disease linked to distinct features from tibiofemoral OA alone/with mild PF disease
Monday, October 15, 2012

Cell Saver Not Cost-Effective in Single-Level Lumbar Surgery
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $55,538 per allogeneic transfusion averted
Monday, October 15, 2012

Methotrexate Use Linked to Reduced Mortality in RA
Findings for methotrexate use of more than one year in cohort of patients followed for 25 years
Friday, October 12, 2012

Diabetes Independently Predicts Severe Osteoarthritis
Type 2 diabetes also predicts arthroplasty; probability increases with duration of diabetes
Friday, October 12, 2012

Study Supports Costoplasty for Rib Hump Deformity Correction
Findings in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients treated with pedicle screws/vertebral derotation
Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Prompt Kyphoplasty Not Crucial for Osteoporotic Vertebral Fx
Three-week trial of conservative treatment beneficial; treatment outcomes similar at one year
Monday, October 08, 2012

Dysphagia Not Tied to Post-Anterior Cervical Op Swelling
No correlation between degree of prevertebral soft-tissue swelling and postoperative dysphagia
Friday, October 05, 2012

Variety of Techniques Effective for Treating Spinal Synovial Cysts
Fusion surgery reduces risk of spinal synovial cyst recurrence, but may trigger complications
Thursday, October 04, 2012

Risk Factors for Tracheostomy in Spinal Cord Injury Identified
Forced vital capacity, age, neurological impairment predict need for tracheostomy in acute care
Thursday, October 04, 2012

Limiting the Problem of Missing Data Urged for Clinical Trials
Special report: analysis methods can not compensate for missing data, simple fixes ruled out
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Lasting Efficacy for Minimally-Invasive Spinal Fusion
Results based on two-year follow-up of patients undergoing lateral lumbar interbody fusion
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

ProDisc-C Device Doesn't Change Facet Joint Pressures
Implantation of device at C5 to C6 level increases angular rotations during sagittal bending
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Observation Units Could Save $3.1 Billion Nationally Per Year
Hospital observation units could save $1,572 per patient; $4.6 million annually per hospital
Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Hip Resurfacing Shows Higher Failure Rate Than Replacement
Use of smaller head sizes linked to higher failure rates in both men and women
Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Patients Benefit From Access to Physician Notes
Patients frequently access visit notes; almost all patients want open note policy to continue
Monday, October 01, 2012

AAP Strongly Discourages Home Trampolines
Current safety measures have not appeared to mitigate risk substantially, AAP group finds
Monday, September 24, 2012

IV Acetaminophen Eases Post-Spinal Op Pain for Children
Improves analgesia versus placebo but does not cut oxycodone consumption in children, teens
Friday, September 21, 2012

Study Looks at Pain Processing Abnormalities in Knee OA
Central sensitization may explain cases of knee OA with high clinical pain, low-grade disease
Monday, September 17, 2012

Radiography Unnecessary After Spinal Fusion Surgery
Radiographs do not provide additional clinical information and are not cost effective
Friday, September 14, 2012

Evidence Lacking for Weight Trends After Joint Arthroplasty
Review of low-quality studies shows some weight loss in 14 to 49 percent of patients at one year
Friday, September 14, 2012

Higher Mortality Risk With Preoperative Hyponatremia
Also linked to more complications, including coronary events, wound infections, and pneumonia
Friday, September 14, 2012

Meta-Analysis: Acupuncture Reasonable Chronic Pain Option
Effective relief for back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, and chronic headache
Thursday, September 13, 2012

For Obese, Body Habitus, Not BMI Impacts Op Site Infection
Thickness of subcutaneous fat, skin to lamina distance impact SSI risk post-lumbar spine fusion
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Costs of Neck and Back Conditions Increasing in U.S.
Costs up 95 percent from 1999 to 2008; mainly due to increased costs for medical specialists
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Not All Docs/Nurses Want to Be Asked About Hand Hygiene
Few were asked in the past month; more than a quarter do not want patients to remind them
Friday, September 07, 2012

Bolus Epidural Fentanyl Cuts Post-Spinal Decompression Pain
Intraoperative bolus epidural fentanyl improves early pain without significant side effects
Thursday, September 06, 2012

Alzheimer's, ALS Death Rates Up for Football Players
Rates of Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis about four times higher than in general population
Wednesday, September 05, 2012

In RA, Hand Surgery Improves Function, Appearance
Benefit seen for severe hand deformities treated with silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty
Monday, September 03, 2012

Poorer Bone Health Seen in Black Children With Fractures
Link between forearm fracture and vitamin D status, bone mineral density in African-American young
Monday, August 27, 2012

Muscle-Related Statin Effects Seem to Correlate With Potency
Fluvastatin is apparent exception to potency prediction of muscle-related adverse effects
Friday, August 24, 2012

New Decision Aid for Treatment of Herniated Disc Beneficial
Instrument meets high-quality patient-reported survey criteria of acceptability, reliability, validity
Thursday, August 23, 2012

Catastrophizing Doesn't Predict Low Back Pain Evolution
In routine practice, assessing baseline catastrophizing score not helpful
Thursday, August 16, 2012

Poor Follow-Up of Hospital Tests Often Due to Late Orders
Tests performed on day of discharge represent 6.8 percent of all tests, 46.8 percent of missed results
Tuesday, August 14, 2012

No Increased Risk of Stroke After Spinal Fusion Surgery
Incidence of any, hemorrhagic, ischemic stroke down, but difference not statistically significant
Thursday, August 09, 2012

Lifestyle-Integrated Approach Reduces Falls Among Elderly
Seniors at risk of falls benefit from integration of balance, strength training into routine activities
Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Clinicians Can Unintentionally Prompt Nocebo Effect
Negative expectations, being informed about complications up likelihood of adverse effects
Thursday, August 02, 2012

Female Athletes Have Shorter Season Time to Injury
Gender and sport, not preseason fitness, influence time to injury in varsity athletes
Thursday, July 26, 2012

InteguSeal Does Not Reduce Scoliosis Surgery Infections
No reduced risk of surgical site infection for pre-op cyanoacrylate sealant-treated patients
Thursday, July 26, 2012

Increased Risk of Heart Attack After Hip, Knee Replacement
Elevated risk persists for six weeks after hip replacement, two weeks after knee replacement
Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Poorer Patient Experience at Safety-Net Hospitals
Worse performance on nearly every measure of patient experience; discrepancy persisted over time
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Discrepancy in Perception of RA Disease Activity Elucidated
RA patients see pain, doctors see joint swelling as the primary determinant of disease activity
Thursday, July 19, 2012

~12,000 Preventable Deaths in English Hospitals Annually
Main causes are poor clinical monitoring, diagnostic errors, and inadequate drug/fluid management
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Social Network Analysis IDs Informal Physician Networks
Geographic variation in network characteristics; similar physician, patient features within networks
Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Prevalence of Gout Increases With Increasing BMI
Elevated burden of gout exists in overweight and obese; link independent of serum uric acid
Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Pain, Disability Don't Predict Function in Spinal Stenosis
Subjective measures of pain, disability have limited predictive ability in lumbar spinal stenosis
Monday, July 16, 2012

Claims Data Reveals Patients at Post-Op Infection Risk
Both patient-based and surgical procedure factors identified that significantly increase infection risk
Friday, July 13, 2012

AOSSM: Concussion Rates in College Football Recently Up
Increase from previous season occurred despite new policies on managing concussions
Thursday, July 12, 2012

Resistance Training Improves Some Inflammatory Markers
Resting levels of C-reactive protein significantly reduced independent of weight loss
Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Tests ID'd for Use in Outcome Assessment of Spinal Stenosis
Excellent test-retest reliability for Oswestry Disability Index; variable levels of responsiveness
Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Lateral Transpsoas Approach Difficult in Lumbarized Sacra
Preoperative axial MRI, advanced neuromonitoring needed for patients with transitional vertebrae
Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Correlates of Diabetic Foot Complications Identified
Include PAR immunoreactivity, reduced abundance of type 1 procollagen, impaired skin structure
Friday, July 06, 2012

High-Dose Vitamin D 'Somewhat Favorable' in Fracture Prevention
Benefits for elderly women consistent regardless of baseline levels, age, calcium intake
Thursday, July 05, 2012

Infection Rates Unaffected by Time to Debridement of Open Fx
Review of the literature shows no difference for early or late operative debridement of open fractures
Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Survivorship of Uncemented Acetabular Parts Compared
In hip arthroplasty, risk of revision for aseptic loosening up with beaded, down with metal design
Friday, June 29, 2012

Few Retears After Partial-, Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Repair
No significant differences in retear rates, post-op stiffness for repair of partial-, full-thickness tears
Friday, June 29, 2012

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform Law
'Individual-mandate' insurance requirement deemed constitutional
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Muscle Mass Linked to Parameters of Bone Health
Gender differences exist in association with skeletal muscle mass and bone architecture
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Prolonged Disability Predictors Identified for Low Back Pain
Pain-related disability at one year tied to impaired fasting glucose tolerance, BMI, QoL, baseline pain
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Duplicate Payments by Federal Government Increasing
Dually enrolled patients in the VA and Medicare account for substantial, duplicate costs
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Incomplete Recovery of Lumbar Discs Two Years After Bed Rest
MRI scans show persistent increases in disc volume, disc height, intervertebral length
Friday, June 22, 2012

Parents Overestimate Deformity-Related Stress in Scoliosis
Patients, parents perceive treatment-related stress in idiopathic adolescent scoliosis in same way
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Half of Residents Report Working While Sick
Most frequent reasons for presenteeism include feeling obligation to colleagues and to patient care
Thursday, June 21, 2012

IVC Filters Confirmed Effective for Patients at Embolism Risk
No complications related to filter use in case series of patients undergoing major spinal surgery
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Research Suggests Flavocoxid Causes Acute Liver Injury
Injury seen as mixed hepatocellular-cholestatic hepatitis beginning within one to three months of use
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Surgical Interns Concerned About Duty-Hour Restrictions
Most feel restrictions will decrease continuity with patients, coordination of care, time spent operating
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Patient-Rated Elbow Evaluation Most Responsive Instrument
Comparison of five assessment tools shows PREE best identifies changes pre-, post-arthroplasty
Monday, June 18, 2012

Coexistent Lumbar Disorders Complicate Hip Arthroplasty
Patients with coexistent disorders have less improvement in function, pain; increased costs
Monday, June 18, 2012

Task Force Questions Use of Vitamin D, Calcium Supplements
Government advisory panel finds insufficient evidence to support protective role of supplements
Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Link Between Vascular Disease and Disc Height Loss Examined
Link is independent of cardiovascular disease; mainly explained by patient age, gender, BMI
Friday, June 08, 2012

Higher Risk of VTE in CKD Surgical Patients on Enoxaparin
Compared to desirudin, VTE risk up for enoxaparin-treated CKD stage 3B patients after THR
Friday, June 08, 2012

Three Percent of Hip, Knee Replacements Need Critical Care
Older patients, general anesthesia, post-op complications increase odds of critical care services
Friday, June 08, 2012

Early Physical Therapy Beneficial for Low Back Pain
Significant reductions in health care and costs for patients with newly diagnosed low back pain
Thursday, June 07, 2012

Troponin T May Help Predict Death After Noncardiac Surgery
Increasing troponin T levels during first three days post-op linked to increased 30-day mortality risk
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Aspirin Ups Risk of Bleeding in All But Diabetes Patients
Patients with diabetes have increased risk of major bleeding, independent of aspirin use
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Self-Management Has Small Effect on Low Back Pain
Review shows use of self-management techniques has minimal effect on pain and disability
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Morbid Obesity Ups Complication Rate in Spinal Fusion Surgery
Hospital charges, length of stay, mortality all up in morbidly obese patients undergoing spinal fusion
Monday, June 04, 2012

ACSM: Running Linked to Reduced All-Cause Mortality
Significantly lower risk for those running 0.1 to 19.9 miles/week, 6 to 7 miles/hour, 2 to 5 days/week
Monday, June 04, 2012

Spondylolisthesis Linked to Spinous Process Fractures
Post-interspinous process spacer surgery, fracture rate 52 percent for those with spondylolisthesis
Friday, June 01, 2012

Disability in Juvenile Arthritis Affects Adult Employment
Educational attainment impacts employment; influenced by functional disability, not JIA subtype
Friday, June 01, 2012

Rats Regain Ability to Walk After Spinal Cord Injury
Cortex-dependent recovery triggered after electrochemical treatment, encouraging movement
Friday, June 01, 2012

School-Based Exercise Program Improves Bone Mass, Size
Daily moderate-intensity exercise ups bone mass without increasing fracture risk over four years
Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Neck Strength, Cervical Spine Mobility Don't Predict Pain
Isometric neck muscle strength and cervical spine mobility not predictive of future neck pain
Friday, May 25, 2012

Aspirin Effective in Preventing Thromboembolism Recurrence
For patients with unprovoked VTE, aspirin presents no apparent increase in risk of major bleeding
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Instrumented Spinal Fusion Method Impacts Infection Rate
Infection rate up for posterior lumbar interbody fusion versus posterior, posterolateral fusion
Monday, May 21, 2012

Higher Pain Tolerance for Athletes Than Active Controls
Impact of exercise on pain perception suggests potential of physical activity in pain management
Monday, May 21, 2012

Increase in Physical Activity in Men Optimizes Peak Bone Mass
Increased physical activity over five-year period linked to favorable development of BMC, BMD
Friday, May 18, 2012

Inadequate Pain Meds in ER for Patients With Long-Bone Fx
Many patients get no pain medication; those who receive meds wait an average of nearly two hours
Friday, May 18, 2012

Gender, High DAS28-P Index Predictive of Pain in Early RA
Being female, high proportion of patient-reported components in DAS28 predict less improvement
Friday, May 18, 2012

Neurally Controlled Arm Lets Tetraplegics Reach, Grasp
Study of two individuals shows small sample of neural signals can direct robotic arm
Thursday, May 17, 2012

Predictors of Length of Hospital Stay After Spine Surgery ID'd
Several factors contribute to increased length of stay for patients undergoing minimally invasive TLIF
Thursday, May 17, 2012

Low Back Pain Improves Soon After Treatment, but Still Lingers
Pain, disability improve early on, but persist for those with acute or persistent low back pain
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Lowest Fused Vertebral Level Linked to Motion in Scoliosis
More lateral bending, summed motion at L3 to S1 with a more distal instrumented vertebrae
Thursday, May 10, 2012

Lack of Sleep Not Necessarily Detrimental to Surgical Skills
However, sleep deprivation ups mental workload for medical students performing surgical task
Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Hospitals Lack Hand Surgeons for Emergencies
Only 7 percent of Tennessee hospitals have a hand specialist on call 24/7 to handle emergencies
Monday, May 07, 2012

Training Helps OR Nurses Manage Disruptive Physician Behavior
Post-communication training, peri-op nurses feel more confident in handling disruptive behavior
Friday, May 04, 2012

CMS Policy Helping Hospitals to Prevent Targeted Infections
Despite positive impact, less time spent on nontargeted infections, especially in large hospitals
Friday, May 04, 2012

Perioperative Interruptions Lead to Miscommunication
Miscommunications during surgery also increase when teams haven't worked together long
Thursday, May 03, 2012

Body Fat Linked to Reduced Fracture Risk for Women
Percent body fat predicts hip fractures for women, not men; effect size similar to bone density
Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Methodological Heterogeneity Seen in Clinical Trials
Trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov from 2007 to 2010 mainly small, single-center
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

A Third of Adults With Arthritis Have Anxiety, Depression
Anxiety more prevalent than depression among U.S. adults with arthritis
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Obesity, Increased Incidence of Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked
Rise in obesity accounts for more than 50 percent of concurrent increase in RA incidence
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Index Identifies Clot Risk in Outpatient Surgery Patients
High-risk outpatient surgery patients have blood clot rates of 1.18 percent
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Prevalence, Patterns of Modic Changes in Spine Described
Presence of modic changes linked to age; greater age also tied to end plates affected, size of MCs
Friday, April 27, 2012

Early Menopause Ups Risk of Osteoporosis, Fractures, Death
Menopause before age 47 increases mortality risk, fragility fractures, osteoporosis at age 77
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Bone Metabolism, Vitamin D Key in Postkyphoplasty Breaks
Bone metabolism, 25(OH)D levels associated with postkyphoplasty vertebral compression fractures
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Lasting Benefit for Rotating-Platform Knee Arthroplasty
Active patients benefit from second-generation, rotating-platform, total knee prosthesis
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Patients With Acute Low Back Pain Have Poor Prognosis
Few patients declare sick leave; many experience recurrences, chronic pain after initial episode
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Oxiplex Improves Outcomes After Lumbar Discectomy
Gel treatment linked to greater reductions in pain, symptoms; satisfaction with surgical procedure
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Gritti-Stokes Amputations Beneficial for Trauma Patients
Better long-term functional outcomes with Gritti-Stokes compared to transfemoral amputation
Monday, April 23, 2012

High BMI Tied to Non-Specific Foot Pain, Plantar Heel Pain
Limited evidence suggesting reduced symptoms after weight-loss surgery; warrants further study
Monday, April 23, 2012

AAN: Volumetric Brain Changes Seen in Fighters' Brains
Impaired memory and processing speed seen for those who fought for nine or more years
Thursday, April 19, 2012

Numerous Genetic Variants Linked to Bone Mineral Density
Fourteen bone mineral density-associated loci linked with fracture risk
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Pattern of Disc Degeneration Impacts Low Back Pain
Contiguous, multilevel disc degeneration increases likelihood of lower back pain, pain severity
Wednesday, April 11, 2012

BMD Loss Occurs Early in Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Study finds loss evident in men treated with ADT for nonmetastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer
Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Targeted Exercise Relieves Sciatica Pain
Symptom-guided therapy relieves back pain and improves outcomes for severe sciatica patients
Monday, April 09, 2012

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Lowers Health-Related QoL
Effects of lumbar spinal stenosis on health-related quality of life compounded by comorbidities
Friday, April 06, 2012

Physical Activity Predicts Functionality in Older Adults
Those seniors remaining physically active have fewer functional limitations
Friday, April 06, 2012

Medical Malpractice Claims Incur Substantial Defense Costs
Costs higher for claims resulting in indemnity payments; significant variation by specialty
Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Metal-on-Metal Bearing Not Linked to Cancer Incidence
No increase in cancer risk at seven years after hip replacement; longer follow-up needed
Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Long Arm Cast Best for Immobilizing Forearm
Long arm cast provides greater restriction versus short arm cast, sugar tong splint, long arm splint
Monday, March 26, 2012

Thigh Fat Area, Muscle Density Linked to RA Indicators
Fat area and muscle density, but not muscle area, associated with disability, physical performance
Friday, March 23, 2012

Health Care Team Members Key for Antimicrobial Stewardship
Epidemiologists, preventionists help stop infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms
Thursday, March 22, 2012

Majority of Children Overburdened by Backpacks
Children carrying heaviest backpacks have higher risk of back pain, especially girls
Monday, March 19, 2012

Most California Hospitals Implementing Infection Control
Hospitals with certified infection control officer have lower rate of MRSA blood stream infections
Friday, March 16, 2012

Poorer Health Literacy Linked to Increased Mortality
About one-third of older adults in England have medium or low functional health literacy
Friday, March 16, 2012

Analgesic Use After Surgery Linked to Long-Term Use
Prescription of opioids, NSAIDs within seven days of low-risk surgery increases risk of long-term use
Thursday, March 15, 2012

Higher Spending by Hospitals Improves Outcomes
Lower mortality, readmission for acute patients admitted to hospital in highest tercile of spending
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

U.S. Mortality Rates Dropped 60 Percent From 1935 to 2010
For every year, heart disease, cancer, and stroke are among the five leading causes of death
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Flu Vaccine Up Among Medical Staff When They Believe It Works
Hospital health care workers more likely to get vaccinated when committed to preventing flu
Friday, March 09, 2012

Race and Socioeconomic Status Linked to Chronic Pain
Black race, lower socioeconomic status independently tied with chronic pain outcomes
Friday, March 09, 2012

Surrogates Tend to Misinterpret Poor Prognosis Information
Statements about low risk of death interpreted accurately; poor prognosis viewed optimistically
Friday, March 09, 2012

Buprenorphine Maintenance Therapy Not Recommended
Abstinence-based therapy recommended instead for opioid-addicted health care professionals
Thursday, March 08, 2012

Double Gloving Prevents Exposure to Pathogens in OR
Double gloving can reduce needle-stick injuries and infection risks for surgeons and patients
Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Financial Burden of Medical Care Affects One in Three
More than one in five poor or near-poor adults younger than 65 have bills they are unable to pay
Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Vitamin D May Reduces Stress Fractures in Adolescent Girls
For girls who engage in high-impact activity, high vitamin D levels significantly lower fracture risk
Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Incidence, Risk Factors ID'd for Proximal Junctional Kyphosis
No significant differences in outcomes for adults with idiopathic scoliosis with and without PJK
Thursday, March 01, 2012

Hearing Loss Linked to Falls in Those Under Age 70
Each 10 decibels of hearing loss increases risk of falling by 1.4-fold
Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Low Back Pain Counseling Strategy Ups Return to Work
Early interventions for Belgian workers with low back pain improve return-to-work rates
Monday, February 27, 2012

Alcohol Dependence Significant Problem for U.S. Surgeons
Surgeons who report major medical error more likely to exhibit alcohol abuse, dependence
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Surgical Spinal Cord Monitoring May Predict Paralysis
Use of electrical motor evoked potentials called for during spinal and some chest surgeries
Monday, February 20, 2012

Classification-Based Therapy No Better for Back Pain
No significant difference with Delitto's classification-based or usual physical therapy care
Monday, February 20, 2012

CT Myelography More Accurately Detects CSF Leakage
In spontaneous intracranial hypotension, CTM better than radioisotope cisternography
Monday, February 20, 2012

AAOS: Prevalence of U.S. Total Knee Replacements ~5 Percent
More than 4.5 million Americans currently have an intact primary total knee replacement
Friday, February 10, 2012

About One-Third of U.S. Adults Receive Advice to Exercise
Increase in prevalence of advice from physicians or health professionals over past decade
Thursday, February 09, 2012

Cell Injection Therapy Safe for Achilles Tendinosis
Skin-derived fibroblasts relieve pain and improve function in unilateral Achilles tendinosis
Thursday, February 09, 2012

AAOS: Defensive Medicine Prevalent in Orthopedics
National costs estimated at $2 billion annually for orthopedic surgery
Thursday, February 09, 2012

Males With ACL Injury, Females Share Lateral Knee Geometry
Both have short, steeply convex tibial articular surface, increased convexity of femoral surface
Thursday, February 09, 2012

Casts for Fractures Linked to Development of Osteopenia
Bone density drops in area of cast immobilization for leg or ankle injuries in adolescents
Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Heart Failure Tied to Increased Osteoporotic Fracture Risk
Association persists after adjustment for risk factors, medications, and bone mineral density
Wednesday, February 08, 2012

AAOS: Platelet-Rich Plasma Effective for Plantar Fasciitis
Significantly more effective and longer lasting than cortisone injection
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

AAOS: Female Soccer Athletes at Risk for Female Triad
Increased risk of delayed menarche, menstrual dysfunction, and stress fractures
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

AAOS: Unemployment Rate Tied to Orthopedic Trauma Volume
Inverse correlation between orthopedic trauma surgical volume, unemployment for previous year
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Polyethylene Glycol Repairs Severed Nerves in Rats
Two studies show PEG-induced sealing of axons after transaction or cut- or crush-severance
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Breast Cancer Prevention Drug Linked to Bone Loss
Exemestane increases bone loss despite calcium and vitamin D supplementation
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Massage Reduces Inflammation Following Hard Exercise
Biopsy shows that massage promotes growth of new mitochondria in muscle cells
Monday, February 06, 2012

Weight Loss Impacts Leg Muscle, Strength in Knee OA
Weight loss linked to loss of leg muscle tissue and strength, improved normalized muscle strength
Monday, February 06, 2012

RA Drug Trial Funding Source Not Linked to Outcome
Positive outcomes are not more likely in industry-funded rheumatoid arthritis drug trials
Monday, February 06, 2012

More Than 4,500 Children Hospitalized for Abuse in 2006
Incidence of abuse highest in infants, particularly those covered by Medicaid
Monday, February 06, 2012

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use Ups Hip Fracture Risk for Women
More than 50 percent increased risk for postmenopausal current or former smokers
Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Warm Saline Enhances Shoulder Tendinitis Treatment
Warm solution improves dissolution of calcium deposits during therapy for rotator cuff tendonitis
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Disc Degeneration More Likely in Overweight, Obese Adults
Higher body mass index linked to greater severity in lumbar degenerative disc disease
Monday, January 30, 2012

Unemployed Have Poorer Mental and Physical Health
And are less likely to receive needed medical care and prescriptions
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Recent Shift in Indication for Total Elbow Arthroplasty
Change from 48 percent due to inflammatory arthritis in '97 to 69 percent due to trauma in '06
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

HealthGrades IDs Notable Hospitals for Clinical Excellence
If all hospitals performed at this level, thousands of Medicare deaths, complications could be averted
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Effects of Severe, Childhood Brain Injury Long Lasting
Pre-injury ability and familial factors contribute to long-term recovery
Monday, January 23, 2012

Chlorhexidine Erases More of Preoperative Skin Markings
Greater change in contrast level, less letters identifiable with chlorhexidine-based solution
Monday, January 23, 2012

Neuromodulators Reduce Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Second study shows no beneficial effect of muscle relaxants on pain in rheumatoid arthritis
Friday, January 20, 2012

Study IDs Optimal Interval Between Bone Density Tests
Researchers provide evidence-based estimates for BMD screening in postmenopausal women
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Rates of Post-Arthroplasty Symptomatic VTE Identified
Venous thromboembolism rate is one in 100 for knee and one in 200 for hip arthroplasty
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Juvenile Arthritis Disease-State Cut-Off Values Established
Key cut-off values established for inactive disease, minimal disease activity, subjective remission
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Comorbidities Affect Hospital Costs After Hip Fracture
Largest cost increase due to weight loss or malnutrition, then pulmonary circulation disorders
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Tool Predicts Improved Function After Hip Arthroplasty
Preoperative characteristics and radiographic assessment predict functional improvement
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Hyaluronic Acid Similar to Placebo for Ankle Arthritis
Single injection of hyaluronic acid to treat ankle osteoarthritis is not superior to saline solution
Monday, January 16, 2012

Increased Pathologic Fracture Risk in Staph Osteomyelitis
Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis tied to fractures, associated complications in children
Monday, January 16, 2012

Surgery Beats Non-Op Care for Intervertebral Disc Herniation
Marital status, absence of joint symptoms, and worsening symptoms affect treatment effect
Friday, January 13, 2012

Thromboprophylaxis Rate Low for Knee Arthroplasty in Taiwan
Prophylaxis rate of 2.2 percent may be related to low incidence of post-op venous thromboembolism
Friday, January 13, 2012

Surgical Techniques Affect Outcome in Scoliosis Surgery
Eight factors found to correlate with kyphosis maintenance in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Friday, January 13, 2012

U.S. Health Care Expenditure Still Unevenly Distributed
In 2008 and 2009, 1 percent of population account for ~20 percent of spending
Friday, January 13, 2012

Patients Give High Marks to Ankle Replacement Surgery
STAR procedure for end-stage ankle arthritis improves impairment, pain, function, quality of life
Thursday, January 12, 2012

Physical Activity in Work or Leisure Tied to Lower MI Risk
Sedentary indicators, such as car and television ownership, linked to increased heart attack risk
Thursday, January 12, 2012

CDC: 2010 Saw Decrease in Age-Adjusted Death Rates
Homicide no longer in top 15 causes of death; replaced by pneumonitis due to solids and liquids
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

SPECT-CT Is Good Predictor of Response to Vertebroplasty
Positive bone SPECT-CT good predictor of clinical improvement after percutaneous vertebroplasty
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Conscious Sedation Feasible for Ambulatory Spine Procedures
No significant difference in adverse event rates with conscious sedation or local anesthesia alone
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Back Pain Intensity Not Linked to Extent of Muscle Damage
Magnitude of exercise-induced muscle damage not associated with intensity of low back pain
Monday, January 09, 2012

Rilonacept Reduces Gout Flares During Acute Urate Lowering Rx
Phase 2 trial shows that rilonacept reduces gout flares during initiation of allopurinol therapy
Monday, January 09, 2012

In-Hospital, 30-Day Standardized Mortality Measures Differ
In-hospital risk-standardized mortality rates vary between hospitals; linked with length of stay
Thursday, January 05, 2012

Spinal Manipulation Superior to Medication for Neck Pain
Spinal manipulation and home exercises better than medication for relieving neck pain
Thursday, January 05, 2012

Traditional, Disease Risk Factors ID'd in SLE Osteoporosis
Fracture occurrence nearly five-fold higher for women with systemic lupus erythematosus
Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Standardized Count Practices Reduce Retained Surgical Items
Count discrepancies and incorrect counts reduced by 50 percent; estimated $12,500 saved
Monday, January 02, 2012

Use of Propofol Saves Time Compared to Midazolam/Ketamine
Procedural sedation with propofol expedites patient management in emergency departments
Friday, December 30, 2011

Perceptions of Inappropriate Care Prevalent Among ICU Staff
For ICU staff in Europe, Israel, perceptions independently linked to higher intent to leave job
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Risk Factors for Post-Spinal Fusion Visual Loss Identified
Include gender, obesity, Wilson frame use, anesthesia time, blood loss, percent colloid given
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Trauma Quality Indicators Linked to Clinical Outcomes
In-hospital mortality, major complications strongly linked with ACSCOT quality indicators
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Medical Team Training Program Cuts Surgical Morbidity Rate
Significantly steeper decline in the annual surgical morbidity rate for facilities in MTT program
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Vitamin D, Calcium Found to Cut Fracture, Cancer Risk
A second study offers no evidence that vitamin D supplementation prevents cardiovascular disease
Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Physician Opinions on Benefits of Open Visit Notes Vary
And, 79 percent of patients are interested in sharing their personal health record information
Monday, December 19, 2011

Training Improves Physical Function After Hip Replacement
Walking, stair-climbing, improve more in patients who undergo skill training
Friday, December 16, 2011

Concurrent-, Staged-Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty Compared
Reduction in joint infection, malfunction, but increased CVD events with simultaneous procedure
Thursday, December 15, 2011

Some RA Remission Criteria Underestimate Foot Synovitis
Only 1981 ACR and proposed 2011 ACR/ EULAR criteria include it in remission classification
Thursday, December 15, 2011

Ankle Dorsiflexion Improves After Plantar Flexor Surgery
Post-op improvement in peak, mean dorsiflexion in swing phase for children with cerebral palsy
Thursday, December 15, 2011

Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy Tied to Increased Cancer Risk
Significantly increased risk seen for cancers of the brain, endometrium, ovary, and colon
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Infection Prevention Up in VA, Non-Federal Hospitals
But catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention practices remain low
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Factors Affecting Micro-RNA Detection Accuracy Identified
Include variations in plasma samples, collection method, anticoagulant used, inhibitors in plasma
Friday, December 09, 2011

Knee Asymmetries Identified Early in Unilateral Hip OA
Loading and structural asymmetries identified early in disease course, when knee is asymptomatic
Thursday, December 08, 2011

Physical Activity Laws Impact School Activity Opportunities
But, inverse association found between adequate physical exercise time and recess time
Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Bisphosphonate Use Ups Knee, Hip Implant Survival
Almost two-fold increase seen in implant survival time after total knee or hip arthroplasty
Wednesday, December 07, 2011

C. difficile Infection Ups Duration of Hospital Stay
In survival analysis, median length of stay is increased by six days in patients with C. difficile
Monday, December 05, 2011

Medical Students Fail to ID Hand Hygiene Indications
Preclinical phase medical students lack knowledge about hand disinfection indications
Monday, December 05, 2011

Similar Running Economy for Older, Younger Runners
Decline seen in cardiorespiratory variables, strength, and power of older runners
Monday, December 05, 2011

Total Disc Replacement, Spinal Fusion Reach Surgical Goals
However, no correlation between fulfillment of surgical goals and back pain or disability
Friday, December 02, 2011

Time of Operation Not Linked to Postoperative Mortality
Time of day, day of week, month of surgery, moon phase do not affect 30-day post-op mortality
Friday, December 02, 2011

Early Post-Op Complications Identified in Rett Syndrome
Respiratory, gastrointestinal post-op complications common after spinal fusion for scoliosis
Friday, December 02, 2011

Most Non-Mobile Spinal Mets Patients Walk Post-Surgery
Resumption of ambulation significantly affected by motor grade, occurrence of a major complication
Friday, December 02, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Pressure Ulcers in Prolonged Surgery
Use of foam pads in surgery, having a lower day-one Braden score predictive of pressure ulcers
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Anticoagulant Self-Monitoring Safe Option for Suitable Patients
Self-monitoring, self-management associated with significant reduction in thromboembolic events
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Global Postural Alignment Parameters Tied to Spinal Pain
Global alignment, but not local spinopelvic features, linked to outcome measures of spinal pain
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Metal, Ceramics on Par With Traditional Hip Implants
Limited comparative evidence shows no advantage of metal on metal, ceramic on ceramic bearings
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

U.S. Patients Highly Satisfied With Outpatient Medical Care
Patient satisfaction scores tied to waiting time, time spent with provider, and age category
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Long-Term Superiority Seen in Group Intervention for Neck Pain
Pain and stress self-management group intervention beats individually-administered physical therapy
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Young Adult Back Pain Severity Tied to Spinal Disc Degeneration
Association with low back pain is independent of other degenerative findings
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Crash Injuries of Children in Restraints Not Tied to Weight
No correlation between weight and clinically significant injuries across broad age, weight range
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

High-Performing Docs Learn Equally From Success, Failure
High performers learn from successes, failures; low performers have asymmetric learning rates
Monday, November 28, 2011

AAP Issues Infant Positional Skull Deformity Guidelines
Pediatricians should diagnose, counsel parents, manage, and refer to specialists, as necessary
Monday, November 28, 2011

Short Stature Tied to Low-Frequency, Rare Gene Deletions
Children with short stature have greater copy-number variant length, global burden of CNVs
Monday, November 28, 2011

Autoimmune Disorders Tied to Pulmonary Embolism Risk
High risk of pulmonary embolism during first year after admission; risk decreases over time
Monday, November 28, 2011

Substance Abuse Health Programs Benefit Surgeons
Recovery, completion, and extension of monitoring period similar for surgeons, non-surgeons
Friday, November 25, 2011

Alendronate Ups BMD in Patients Taking Steroids for Skin Diseases
Bone mineral density increased at lumbar spine, femoral neck in immunobullous disorders
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Radial Fracture Type Doesn't Impact Volar Plate Outcome
Similar outcomes for extra-articular, single sagittal intra-articular distal radial fractures
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

BMI Predicts 30-Day Post-Surgery Mortality Risk
BMI of less than 23.1 tied to the highest 30-day mortality risk, irrespective of surgery type
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Adverse Effects of Pediatric Acupuncture Usually Mild
Mild adverse effects include pain, bruising, bleeding, and worsening of symptoms
Monday, November 21, 2011

Nonpunitive Method Improves Medical Error Reporting
Most common errors: misfiled or incorrectly entered patient info
Monday, November 21, 2011

Pain, Function Key Factors in Elective Amputation Decision
Satisfaction with outcome linked to patient's expectation of life after amputation
Monday, November 21, 2011

Survival Up With Posterior Cruciate-Retaining TKR
Significantly lower risk of revision with posterior-cruciate-retaining total knee replacement
Monday, November 21, 2011

CT Scan Beats Radiograph for Diagnosing Sacroiliitis
Excellent inter-reader reliability of staging and ascertaining sacroliitis with CT scans
Friday, November 18, 2011

Evidence-Based Spine Surgery Recommendations Issued
Recommendations based on review of six spine surgery studies
Friday, November 18, 2011

'Number of Criteria' Approach Best Defines Gout Flare
Presence of four criteria provides 96 percent specificity, 85 percent positive predictive value
Friday, November 18, 2011

Lower Floor Stiffness Reduces Peak Spine Forces in Falls
Peak spine forces decrease cranially, with lower forces at L3/L4 than at L5/S1
Thursday, November 17, 2011

Energy Deficits Induce Adverse Neuroendocrine Changes
Changes may adversely impact body composition by accrual of adipose tissue, loss of lean body mass
Thursday, November 17, 2011

Whole-Body Vibration Does Not Improve Bone Density
WBV at 90 or 30 Hz well tolerated; doesn't improve bone density, structure in postmenopause
Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Patients Without Insurance Have Shorter Hospital Stays
Uninsured have shorter stays for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, or non-ACSCs
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Anterior Cervical Surgery Ups GERD Incidence, Severity
Anterior cervical decompression, fusion surgery patients require an average 1.2 antacid doses
Friday, November 11, 2011

Dairy/High Protein Ups Bone Health During Weight Loss
High protein and dairy diet during weight loss ups bone health in overweight premenopausal women
Friday, November 11, 2011

Efficacy of Balance Exercises in the Elderly Questioned
Most effective exercise programs ran three times a week for three months
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Half of U.S. Adult Smokers Tried to Quit Last Year
Cessation services, however, tend to be under-utilized
Thursday, November 10, 2011

FDA: Manufacturer Recalls Operating Room Tables
Recall based on reports of patient injury
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Leg Motor Restlessness More Common in Parkinson's
LMR, but not restless leg syndrome is significantly more likely in early unmedicated Parkinson's
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Minimally Invasive Osteoid Osteoma Surgery Viable Option
Emerging as an alternative method to conventional excision of osteoid osteoma in the mobile spine
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Glove Use Linked to Reduced Hand Hygiene Compliance
Gloves often worn when not indicated, and not worn when indicated
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Pre-Knee Replacement Use of Opioids Tied to Complications
Significantly higher complication rate and greater need for pain management referral
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Similar Cuff Repair Outcomes With, Without Acromioplasty
But higher reoperation rate for patients with arthroscopic cuff repair alone
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Neuromuscular Warm-Up Cuts Lower Extremity Injury
Coach-led neuromuscular warm-up effectively lowers non-contact injuries in female athletes
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

NASS: Low Vitamin D Common in Spinal Surgery Patients
With vitamin D inadequacy and deficiency in 57 and 27 percent of patients, respectively
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Great Achievement at Young Age Function of Time, Not Field
Age dynamics tied to proportion of theoretical work, age of attainment of foundation knowledge
Monday, November 07, 2011

Gender Difference in Failure Patterns for Hip Resurfacing
Femoral remnants from females have lower likelihood of fracture, presence of osteonecrosis
Monday, November 07, 2011

Exercise Lowers CVD Death Risk Irrespective of Metabolic Factors
Physical activity protective for CVD mortality in healthy adults, those with metabolic risks
Monday, November 07, 2011

Vigorous Exercise Moderates Diet-Induced Weight Gain
Men and women running more than 8 km per day have lower BMI increase per meat or fruit serving
Friday, November 04, 2011

Receptionists Contribute to Safety of Repeat Prescriptions
Clinicians often unaware of input of receptionists and administrative staff in repeat prescribing
Friday, November 04, 2011

Perceived Distortion in Scoliosis Tied to Quality of Life
Non-braced patients perceive their body appearance to be significantly less distorted
Friday, November 04, 2011

Rooms of Patients With A. baumannii Often Contaminated
Supply carts, floors, infusion pumps, ventilator touch pads are most commonly contaminated
Friday, November 04, 2011

Carisoprodol-Related Emergency Visits Up in United States
Most ER visits involving carisoprodol involve another drug; usually narcotics or benzodiazepines
Thursday, November 03, 2011

No Medicare Savings From Disease-Management Hotline
Modest improvement in quality of care, but no reduction in costs of care or acute care utilization
Thursday, November 03, 2011

Risks for C. difficile Infection, Colonization Identified
Host, pathogen factors differentially affect this health care-associated infection, colonization
Thursday, November 03, 2011

CDC: Opioid Overdoses Have Reached Epidemic Proportions
Overdose death rates, sales, OPR-related treatment admissions increased between 1999 and 2008
Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Cut-Out Saddles Up Saddle Pressures for Female Cyclists
Mean, peak perineal saddle pressure higher with cut-out saddles than traditional saddles
Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Yoga Beats Usual Care for Pain-Related Back Function
However, back pain and general health scores similar with yoga and usual care intervention
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Pre-Op Erythropoietin Reduces Need for Peri-Op Transfusion
Also reduces the number of units of erythrocytes transfused during and after surgery
Monday, October 31, 2011

Disc Herniation Symptom Duration Tied to Outcome
Longer symptom duration tied to worse outcomes, regardless of surgical versus nonsurgical treatment
Monday, October 31, 2011

Switching From IV to Oral Meds Cuts Health Care Costs
In patients eligible for oral intake, switch from IV to oral equivalents cuts hospital costs
Monday, October 31, 2011

Self-Reported Knee Function, Pain Worse Than Doc-Assessed
Self-reported American Knee Society scores worse than clinician-assessed; Oxford Knee score similar
Friday, October 28, 2011

Nonclinical Factors Impact Back Pain Treatment Decisions
Patient presentation, socioeconomic status, gender influence physician treatment decisions
Friday, October 28, 2011

ACS: Timed Walking Predicts Post-Op Recovery in Elderly
Slow walking in elderly ups risk of postoperative complications, lengthens hospital stay
Thursday, October 27, 2011

ACS: Drug-Resistant Infections Rise but Mortality Declines
Surgical ICU drug-resistant infections rise between 2000 and 2010, but mortality drops by 4 percent
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Ghost Authorship Prevalent in About One-Fifth of Articles
Prevalence of honorary, ghost authorship, down from 29.2 to 21.0 percent from 1996 to 2008
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Yoga As Effective As Stretching for Chronic Low Back Pain
But yoga is more effective than a self-care book in improving function and reducing symptoms
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Radiographic Osteoarthritis Phenotypes Linked to Race
African-Americans less likely to have hand rOA phenotypes, more likely to have knee phenotypes
Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ultrasound, Shock Wave Not Effective for Low Back Pain
Available evidence shows that different treatments of acute low back pain give similar results
Friday, October 21, 2011

3-D CT Useful for Classification of Ligament Ossification
Combining 3-D CT with MRI useful for detecting spinal cord compression
Thursday, October 20, 2011

Readmission Risk Models Display Poor Predictive Ability
Current hospital readmission risk models for comparative or clinical purposes perform poorly
Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Halo Immobilization Superior to Fusion for C2 Fractures
Fusion tied to greater complication rates, increased length of stay, greater resource utilization
Friday, October 14, 2011

No Effect of Prophylaxis Type on Pulmonary Embolism Rate
Prophylaxis agent, anesthesia type do not affect pulmonary embolism rate post hip arthroplasty
Friday, October 14, 2011

Increased Travel Time to Trauma Centers in 2007
Increased distance has mainly affected African-Americans, uninsured, poor, those in rural areas
Thursday, October 13, 2011

No Benefit of Occupational Therapy After Wrist Fracture
Surgeon-directed independent exercises superior for volar plate fixed radial fractures
Thursday, October 13, 2011

Rare Disorders ID'd by NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program
Integrated high-density SNP arrays, whole exome or genome analyses used to aid diagnosis
Thursday, October 13, 2011

'Timed Up and Go' Test Predicts Nonvertebral, Hip Fractures
TUG test performance independent risk factor for incident nonvertebral, hip fractures in older women
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Financial Conflicts of Interest Prevalent, Under-Reported
Conflicts of interest prevalent; under-reported by members, chairs of panels developing guidelines
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Good Long-Term Outcomes With Selective Thoracic Fusion
Stable lumbar spinal balance and correction of lumbar curve in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Septicemia Most Costly Reason for Hospitalization in 2009
Almost one in 23 patients had septicemia; average of 4,600 new patients treated each day
Monday, October 10, 2011

Electronic Records Enhance Care Transitions for Elderly
Complete and accurate transfer of information necessary to maximize patient care
Monday, October 10, 2011

Use of Oral Steroids Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency
Steroid users have more than two-fold increased risk of vitamin D deficiency than steroid nonusers
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Many Elderly in U.S. Undergo Surgery in Last Year of Life
Rate of surgery varies with age, region, availability of hospital beds, Medicare spending
Thursday, October 06, 2011

More Minority Patients in Low-Quality, High-Cost Hospitals
More elderly black, Hispanic, Medicaid patients consult worst rather than best hospitals
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Pre-Op Anemia Ups Mortality After Non-Cardiac Surgery
Even mild preoperative anemia independently associated with 30-day mortality, morbidity risk
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Early ID of Morbidly Obese Improves Surgical Care
Improves perioperative care and postoperative outcomes for patients with BMI of 35 or more
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Poor Footwear Ups Impairment, Disability in Chronic Gout
Comfort, fit, support, and cost influence footwear choice in patients with chronic gout
Monday, October 03, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Post-Spine Surgery Death, Morbidity
Complication predictors include older age, cardiac disease, neuro-abnormalities, corticosteroid use
Monday, October 03, 2011

Vitamin D Insufficiency Prevalent in Psoriatic Arthritis
Researchers find that season and location appear to have no effect
Monday, October 03, 2011

Smoking Complicates Joint Replacement Outcomes
Smokers undergoing total hip or knee replacement should be counseled to quit
Monday, October 03, 2011

Spinal MRI Reviewer Accuracy Equal Across Training Levels
Posterior ligamentous complex integrity interpreted with accuracy irrespective of training level
Friday, September 30, 2011

Doctors, Patients Identify Tacit Clues in Their Interactions
Non-verbal tacit clues most common, but interpretation differs for doctors and patients
Friday, September 30, 2011

Three Weekly Hyaluronate Shots Improve Ankle Arthritis
Three weekly intra-articular hyaluronate injections improve pain, function, balance, patient satisfaction
Thursday, September 29, 2011

Stratified Care May Be Best Option for Back Pain Patients
Study finds that patients fare better and that care costs less
Thursday, September 29, 2011

Elderly Recover Adequately After Cervical Laminoplasty
No significant difference in mean achieved JOA scores for elderly, young-old, and old-old
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Lower Walking Speed, Altered Gait in Overweight Women
Reduced walking performance due to poor relative strength, rate of torque development in muscles
Monday, September 26, 2011

Multilevel Hemilaminectomy Economical for Lumbar Stenosis
Mean two-year cost per quality-adjusted life year $33,700 following surgery
Friday, September 23, 2011

Back Pain Outcomes Similar for Surgery, Cognitive Intervention
Long-term outcomes similar for patients treated with surgery or cognitive intervention and exercise
Friday, September 23, 2011

Videos Prior to Spine Surgery Aid, Strengthen Patient Choices
Patients make balanced, unbiased decision after watching evidence-based video decision aid
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Mortality Up in Hospitals With More Minority Trauma Patients
Trauma patients' odds of mortality linked to the proportion of minority patients in the hospital
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Posterior Shoulder Dislocation Has Low Prevalence
Recurrent instability predicted by age, dislocation during seizure, large reverse Hill-Sachs lesion
Monday, September 19, 2011

Lower Frontal/Saggital Proprioceptive Acuity in OA
Higher threshold to detection of passive movement in all directions seen in knee osteoarthritis
Friday, September 16, 2011

Surgery Effective for Subaxial Cervical Synovial Cysts
Surgical resection effective with no deaths, and minimal postoperative complications
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Many Mistakenly Believe FDA OKs Only Safe, Effective Drugs
Consumer explanations about safety, efficacy of drugs help public make better decisions
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Many Hospital Staff Uniforms Contaminated With Bacteria
More than 60 percent of uniforms are contaminated, with similar rates between nurses, physicians
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Public Sector Funds Large Part of State Obesity-Related Costs
State medical expenses would be nearly 7 to 11 percent lower in the absence of obesity
Monday, August 29, 2011

Loss of Jobs Means Loss of Health Coverage for Many in U.S.
Majority report delay in getting needed healthcare and financial difficulties paying medical bills
Monday, August 29, 2011

Complementary Medicine Used More by Health Care Workers
U.S. health care providers use complementary, alternative medicine more than support workers
Friday, August 26, 2011

Pharmaceutical Ads Often Don't Adhere to U.S. FDA Guidelines
Only 18.1 percent of advertisements fully adhere to FDA guidelines, over half do not quantify serious risks
Thursday, August 25, 2011

Occipital Padding Maintains Neutral Spine Alignment
In the event of football helmet removal, occipital padding maintains cervical spine alignment
Thursday, August 25, 2011

CDC: 2010/2011 Flu Vaccination Coverage Studied
Coverage in health care personnel and pregnant women remained stable versus previous season
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Epidermal Electronic System Monitors Heart, Brain Activity
Skin-like epidermal electronic system measures electrical activity of heart, brain, skeletal muscle
Friday, August 12, 2011

Cost of Interacting With Payers Higher in U.S. Than Canada
U.S. physicians and nursing staff spend more time and money interacting with health plans
Friday, August 05, 2011

Infection Incidence After Spinal Tumor Surgery ~10 Percent
Risk factors include previous surgery, comorbidities, prior infection, longer hospital stay
Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Knee Arthroplasty Unaffected by Patellar Resurfacing
In addition, no difference in reoperation incidence in patella-friendly or unfriendly designs
Monday, August 01, 2011

VTE Rates Post Knee Arthroplasty Increased '97-'07
Risk is higher among patients with cardiovascular disease or history of venous thromboembolism
Thursday, July 28, 2011

Smoking Tied to Increase in Post-Arthroplasty Complications
Current, prior smokers at increased risk of complications after knee/hip replacement surgery
Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Acute Nondisplaced Scaphoid Fractures Heal Without Surgery
In kids, majority heal without surgery; lower union rate for chronic, displaced, proximal fractures
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Review: Exercise = Less Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women
Despite low quality of reporting, exercise has small but statistically significant effect in meta-analysis
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Study Design Bias Suspected in Industry Trials on rhBMP-2
FDA shows high adverse event rates with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2
Friday, July 15, 2011

Post-Surgery VTE Prophylaxis Use Varies Among Hospitals
Wide variation in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis use after spinal fusion surgery in U.S.
Friday, July 15, 2011

BMI Changes Predictive of Bilateral Knee Pain in Women
Significant association between higher body mass index at year one and knee pain in year 15
Friday, July 15, 2011

Conservative Scoliosis Treatment Tied to Lower Self-Concept
Teens with mild or moderate Cobb angles have lower self-concept score post-conservative therapy
Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Massage Therapy Relieves Symptoms of Low Back Pain
Structural and relaxation massage improve function and decrease chronic low back pain
Tuesday, July 05, 2011

In Lumbar Stenosis, ABI and TBI Needed for PAD Diagnosis
Ankle, toe brachial index needed for peripheral artery disease diagnosis in lumbar spinal canal stenosis
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Brief Intervention Helps Employees Return to Work
Sick-listed employees with low back pain benefit from brief or multidisciplinary intervention
Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Physical Therapy Post Lumbar Discectomy May Be Ineffective
Does not change range of movement, overall impairment, disability or back pain
Friday, June 17, 2011

Unequal Care Access for Children With Public Insurance
Disparities exist in providers' acceptance of public insurance compared to private insurance
Thursday, June 16, 2011

Life Expectancy in U.S. Counties Below Many Nations
Women, and black men and women have lower life expectancy in all U.S. counties
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

NSAID Use Linked to Increased Venous Thromboembolism Risk
Increased risks for VTE, unprovoked VTE, deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism
Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Disability Pension Not Affected by Family Background
Sociodemographic and health issues affect number of disability claims for low back disorders
Monday, June 06, 2011

Effect Estimates May Be Inflated in Biomarker Studies
Highly cited studies overestimate biomarker effect compared to meta-analyses
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Peripheral Nerve Injury May Cause Substantial Disability
Patients report disability, pain, and cold sensitivity six months or more after nerve injury
Friday, May 27, 2011

Contact With Drug Industry Linked to Positive Attitudes
Substantial proportion of medical students believe gifts from drug industry affect prescribing
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

More Scans for Back Pain by Doctors Who Bill for MRI
Having an MRI increases likelihood of surgery in orthopedic patients with low back pain
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Excessive Calcium Intake Does Not Lower Fracture Risk
Calcium intake beyond a specified level does not further reduce osteoporosis or fracture risk
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Type II Odontoid Fractures May Up Elderly Mortality Risk
Surgical intervention may offer a protective benefit in patients aged 65 to 74 years
Monday, May 23, 2011

Tai Chi May Prevent Falls and Improve Mental Health
Tai chi may improve general health of seniors, not effective for treating cancer or arthritis
Friday, May 20, 2011

Therapeutic Climbing Beneficial for Chronic Low Back Pain
Physical functioning and health perception improve with climbing, compared to standard exercise
Friday, May 13, 2011

Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes for U.S. Women
Women less likely than men to have cardiac surgical interventions and less likely to survive
Thursday, May 12, 2011

Proton Pump Inhibitors May Increase Fracture Risk
Use of histamine 2 receptor antagonists not significantly associated with fracture risk
Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Medical Education Participants Recognize Funding Bias
Yet most are unwilling to pay more for continuing medical education registration to overcome bias
Wednesday, May 11, 2011

NSAIDs May Increase Cardio Risk in MI Patients
In patients with MI, NSAIDs may increase the risk of MI, death during the course of treatment
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Self-Image Impacts Pain Perception in Scoliosis Patients
Lower deformity perception linked to greater pain reduction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Monday, May 09, 2011

Calcium Supplementation Inadequate in Elderly
Dietary intake low, and despite use of supplements, calcium levels in elderly are insufficient
Friday, May 06, 2011

Condition-Specific Comorbidity Index May Improve Accuracy
Condition-specific index may give more sensitive hospital results than Deyo Comorbidity Index
Thursday, May 05, 2011

Bisphosphonates Tied to Small Risk of Atypical Fractures
Despite high prevalence of drug use in patients with atypical fractures, absolute risk is small
Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Fractures Seen in Older Levothyroxine Users
Researchers find dose-response relationship in those aged 70 or older taking the drug
Friday, April 29, 2011

Low-Dose Aspirin Affects Post-Surgery Blood Drainage
Increased blood drainage, complications in patients who stop taking aspirin a week pre-surgery
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Preoperative MRI Doesn't Affect Scoliosis Surgery Outcomes
MRI for scoliosis in adolescents may not impact outcomes even if abnormality detected
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Oophorectomy May Not Adversely Affect Health
Also tied to lower risk of ovarian cancer than hysterectomy plus ovarian conservation
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Disc Degeneration More Prevalent in Obese Adolescents
Increased body mass index is significantly linked with severity of juvenile lumbar disease
Friday, April 22, 2011

Multilevel Surgery Improves Outcomes in Cerebral Palsy
Children's functional and dynamic positioning improve, but not grasp-release ability
Thursday, April 21, 2011

Uremic Patients Risk Spinal Surgery Complications
Higher complication rate emphasizes need for attention to pre-, peri-, and postsurgical care
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

More Than Five Million Youth Treated for Football Injuries
Significant increase in the annual number of football-related injuries from 1990 to 2007
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Physical Activity Guidelines May Improve Survival
Adherence to guidelines most beneficial for adults with at least one chronic health condition
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Decreased Length of Stay in Hospital for Hip Arthroplasty
Patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty had decreased hospital stay in 2008 compared to 1991
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Self-Rated Health Predicts Outcomes of Joint Replacement
Health outcomes after surgery predicted by mental well-being and self-rated health
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Spinal Fusion Well Tolerated in Idiopathic Scoliosis
Most adolescents show new disc pathology but fewer degenerative changes at junctional level
Thursday, April 14, 2011

'Global Trigger Tool' Identifies 10 Times More Errors
New tool identifies many more adverse events in hospital admissions compared to other methods
Thursday, April 07, 2011

High-Impact Activities Increase Fracture Risk in Girls
Basketball, running, gymnastics, or cheerleading predict stress fractures in adolescent girls
Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Risks for Complications After Scoliosis Surgery Identified
Complications after scoliosis surgery more likely in nonambulatory patients, large pre-op curve
Friday, April 01, 2011

Cell Phone Proximity to Hip Tied to Bone Mineralization
Compared to nonusers, mobile phone users have lower hip bone mineral content and density
Friday, April 01, 2011

Skeletal Immaturity Does Not Affect Broken Bones' Healing
Most radius and ulna breaks heal thoroughly; subjective measures predictive of disability
Thursday, March 31, 2011

Early Rehabilitation Post-Knee Arthroplasty Beneficial
Starting rehabilitation within 24 hours of total knee arthroplasty improves pain and autonomy
Thursday, March 31, 2011

Two-Thirds of U.S. Residents Get Sufficient Vitamin D
About one-quarter are at risk of inadequate vitamin D levels
Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Online Health Records Less Used by Minorities, Poor
Low-income patients, blacks, and Hispanics less likely to use Internet personal health record
Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Bariatric Surgery Linked to Bone Density Loss in Teens
Further study needed to determine type of weight loss and consequences of changes in bone mass
Monday, March 28, 2011

Use of Strategies to Reduce Risk of Opioid Misuse Is Low
At-risk patients are not monitored closely and are more likely to receive early opioid refills
Friday, March 25, 2011

Reduced Hours for Trainees Has Had Little Effect in U.S.
Shorter work week for doctors in training has had little impact, positive or negative, on patient safety
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Qigong Comparable to Exercise for Treating Neck Pain
Similar effect regarding neck pain, disability, and quality of life; superior to no treatment
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Dalteparin Not Superior to Unfractionated Heparin
No difference in proximal DVT incidence in critically ill; but fewer pulmonary emboli
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Professional Values of U.S. and U.K. Doctors Examined
Nearly one-third of doctors fail to report inadequate colleague, often for fear of retribution
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Decontamination of Autologous Bone Fragments Evaluated
Povidone-iodine and saline wash provide best decontamination with minimal cellular toxicity
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Short Nurse Staffing Linked to Higher Patient Mortality
More deaths seen when shifts fall eight or more hours below target
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

U.S. Death Rate Reaches All-Time Low
In 2009, death rate hits 741 per 100,000 population, a 2.3 percent decline
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

HealthGrades Finds Rates of Patient Safety Events Vary
Patients have 46 percent lower risk of safety error in top versus bottom-ranking hospitals
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Ethnic Differences Seen in Academic Measures for U.K. Docs
Gap exists in academic performance of white versus nonwhite medical students and doctors
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Pharmacological Meta-Analyses Rarely Report Disclosures
Meta-analyses of pharmacological interventions rarely disclose funding or conflicts of interest
Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Rule Predicts Ability to Walk After Spinal Cord Injury
New prediction rule gives accurate early prognosis of ability to walk after spinal cord injury
Friday, March 04, 2011

Mild Idiopathic Scoliosis Impairs Postural Stability
Balance is compromised even at disease onset, especially in sensory conflict situations
Thursday, March 03, 2011

Helmets Protect Motorcyclists From Cervical Spine Injury
Riders are 20 percent less likely to suffer cervical spine injury if wearing a helmet
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Tranexamic Acid Lowers Post-Op Blood Loss in Neck Surgery
Reduced perioperative bleeding following cervical laminoplasty limits total surgery blood loss
Monday, February 28, 2011

Necrotizing Fasciitis Pathogen Can Predict Urgency
Vibrio vulnificus causes more rapidly progressing, fulminant infection than Staphylococcus aureus
Monday, February 28, 2011

Return to Work Delayed After Lumbar Fusion
Increased disability, opioid use, reoperations, and complications after lumbar fusion surgery
Thursday, February 24, 2011

Equations Predict Quadriceps Strength in Knee Osteoarthritis
Equations based on submaximal strength are good measures of actual maximal strength
Thursday, February 24, 2011

Nitroglycerin Strengthens Bones in Older Women
Treatment found to increase bone mineral density, lower bone resorption in postmenopausal women
Wednesday, February 23, 2011

New U.S. Report on the Nation's Health 2010 Released
The 34th annual CDC report includes a special feature on death and dying
Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Most Recalled Medical Devices Given Lenient Approval
Over 70 percent of the medical devices recalled were considered low or moderate risk
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

AAOS: Stress Fractures Fairly Common in Young Athletes
Significant gender differences may contribute to stress fractures in adolescents
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Obesity, Arthritis Shorten Quality-Adjusted Life-Years
Reducing obesity to levels of 10 years ago would prevent more than 100,000 knee replacements
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Researchers Explore Nature of Difficult Clinical Encounters
Patients, physicians both contribute characteristics; difficult patients have worse outcomes
Monday, February 14, 2011

Increase Seen in Pediatric Running Injuries
Research-based safety guidelines needed to reduce pediatric running-related injuries
Monday, February 14, 2011

Joint Effusions Signal Possible Lyme Arthritis
Indications of Lyme arthritis include knee involvement, willingness to bear weight
Monday, February 14, 2011

Addison's Disease Is a Risk Factor for Hip Fracture
Diagnosed or undiagnosed disease ups fracture risk; highest risk for women age 50 or younger
Friday, February 11, 2011

Same Results From Paper or Electronic Health Surveys
Electronic format allows more efficient and reliable collection of health status information
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Public Sector Plays Big Role in Drug Research
Role of public-sector research institutions larger than previously thought
Wednesday, February 09, 2011

More Radiation in Minimally Invasive Than Open Surgery
Standing in a substerile room during X-ray screening in open cases is only partially protective
Monday, February 07, 2011

Imaging for Low Back Pain Often Useless, Harmful
American College of Physicians questions value, benefit, cost
Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Electronic Health Records May Not Improve Care Quality
Use with clinical decision support not tied to better quality of care
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Amputation Level Affects Energy Expenditure in Children
Energy expenditure higher in above-knee amputations than in below-knee amputations
Friday, January 21, 2011

Physical Exam Helps Diagnose Source of Lumbar Pain
Physical exam tests can accurately predict lumbar nerve impingement presence and location
Friday, January 21, 2011

Motivation Affects Return to Work After Knee Replacement
Physical demands of patient's job have only moderate influence on ability to return to work
Friday, January 21, 2011

CDC Report Highlights Important Health Disparities
Outlines disparities by sex, race/ethnicity, income, and other social characteristics
Thursday, January 13, 2011

Spine Specialists May Not Recognize Patients' Distress
Sensitivity for identifying patients with high levels of distress is below 30 percent
Thursday, January 13, 2011

Anti-Epileptic Drugs Increase Risk of Fractures
Hypertension medications may provide potential osteoprotective benefits
Thursday, January 13, 2011

Burnout Levels Particularly High in Residents
High percentage of anesthesiology chairs also meet criteria for high or moderately-high burnout
Monday, January 10, 2011

Clinicians Not Adhering to Arthritis Guidelines
Emphasis should be on weight loss and exercise rather than imaging, pharmacology, and surgery
Monday, January 10, 2011

Scoliosis Screening Costs in Hong Kong, Rochester Similar
Costs of screening and diagnosing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in school program have risen
Friday, January 07, 2011

Back Pain Tied to Psychological Well-Being in Teens
Exercise, control of psychological profile can reduce frequency, intensity of lower back pain
Thursday, January 06, 2011

Palm Device Monitors Recovery After Knee Replacement
Device provides clinicians real-time data on patient pain, mobility, and functionality
Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Intervention Addresses Opioid Delivery in Pediatric Fractures
Authors discuss process that leads to faster treatment in children with extremity fractures
Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Burnout Driving Away Many Emergency Physicians
French study finds work-family conflicts, poor teamwork associated with burnout
Thursday, December 02, 2010

Integrated Care Cost-Effective for Low Back Pain
Workplace intervention program cuts costs compared to standard care
Wednesday, December 01, 2010

RSNA: Visceral Body Fat Tied to Poor Bone Health
Women with more visceral fat have higher bone marrow fat and lower bone mineral density
Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Dermatitis May Not Influence Bone Density in Children
Topical corticosteroid use, too, seems to have no negative impact
Monday, November 29, 2010

Knee Osteoarthritis Pain Is Worse If Other Areas Hurt Too
More aches, pains in multiple areas -- especially back, foot, and elbow -- tied to worse knee pain
Monday, November 22, 2010

ASN: Hyponatremia Associated With Fractures and Falls
But increase in fractures in elderly with condition isn't associated with bone mineral density
Monday, November 22, 2010

U.S. Health Insurance Compared to 10 Other Nations
U.S. adults spend more time, money on insurance; have more coverage denials
Friday, November 19, 2010

Fraud in Scientific Literature Appears Intentional
Characteristics of articles retracted for fraud versus error suggest deliberate effort
Thursday, November 18, 2010

ED in Spinal Stenosis Worsens After Decompression Surgery
Incidence of erectile dysfunction is high before surgery, even higher afterward
Friday, November 12, 2010

Physician-Industry Financial Ties Decreased Since 2004
But 83.8 percent of physicians still have some type of industry financial relationship
Friday, November 12, 2010

Workers' Compensation Hand Injuries Receive Different Care
More testing and longer time to surgery interval seen in Workers' Compensation recipients
Monday, November 08, 2010

AAN Releases Statement on Sports-Related Concussion
Stresses that neurologist, other trained physician should be consulted before return to sport
Monday, November 01, 2010

Effective Neck Pain Treatments May Be Underutilized
Meanwhile, diagnostic imaging, narcotics, and unproven treatments are overused, study finds
Monday, November 01, 2010

Ankle Sprain Incidence Varies Demographically
Differences noted by race, age, gender, and athletics
Monday, November 01, 2010

Left Arm Splints Significantly Degrade Driving
But arm immobilization devices on either right or left appear to worsen driving performance
Friday, October 29, 2010

Probe-to-Bone Best Test for Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis
Compared to gold-standard of bone histology, PTB better than other tests
Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Primary Care Trails Other Specialties in Hourly Wages
In other study, physicians point to Medicare reimbursement problems, differ on reforms
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Study Seeks Factors in 'Never-Event' Medical Errors
Communication errors, lack of time-out linked to wrong-person/wrong-site procedures
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

ASBMR: Osteoporosis Screening Interval Assessed
Bone mineral density key determinant of screening interval in postmenopausal women
Monday, October 18, 2010

Expectations Don't Predict Recovery Time for All Injuries
Predictive only for workers filing back-injury claims, not for other musculoskeletal issues
Friday, October 15, 2010

Bisphosphonate Users at Possible Risk of Thigh Fracture
FDA warns patients and doctors to be aware of potential risk
Wednesday, October 13, 2010

43% of Orthopedic Patients Have Low Vitamin D Level
Men, patients with darker skin, those on trauma service at highest risk
Monday, October 11, 2010

Word Choice Influences Patient Perception of Prognosis
Degenerative explanations of back pain may have a negative impact
Monday, October 11, 2010

Doctors' Exercise Linked to Confidence Counseling Patients
Few attendings, trainees feel confident about being able to change patients' diet, exercise behaviors
Friday, October 01, 2010

Exercise Preserves Functioning in Women With Osteopenia
Elderly osteopenia patients who exercise may also have fewer fractures, lower mortality risk
Tuesday, September 28, 2010

RA May Raise Complication Risk After Ankle Arthroplasty
Those with inflammatory connective-tissue disease have 14-fold higher risk for additional surgery
Monday, September 27, 2010

Venous Thromboembolism Seen After 1% of Hip Replacements
Factors linked to higher risk include osteoarthritis, history of CVD, prior thromboembolism
Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sacrifice Makes Industry Gifts Seem More Acceptable
Residents reminded of med school sacrifices tend to perceive gifting more favorably
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Re-Consent Important Before Secondary Use of Genetic Data
Research participants want to be asked before their data are added to federal database
Monday, September 13, 2010

Perioperative Stroke Rare but Deadly in Joint Replacement
Non-coronary heart disease, urgent surgery, general anesthesia, arrhythmia among risk factors
Thursday, September 09, 2010

Annual Medical Liability Costs Surpass $50 Billion
Account for more than 2 percent of total health care spending in the United States
Thursday, September 09, 2010

Protocol Guides Wound Closure Timing for Open Fractures
Relies on wound culture results after irrigation and surgical debridement
Thursday, September 02, 2010

Post-Op Delirium Linked to Cerebral Vascular Disease
Also associated with low post-op hemoglobin and hematocrit, poor nutrition in elderly fusion patients
Monday, August 30, 2010

Collar Preferable to Imaging in Unevaluable Trauma Patients
Neuroimaging tests lack sensitivity for cervical spine evaluation, not cost-effective versus collar
Friday, August 27, 2010

Thousands of Heat Illnesses Occur in Teen Athletes Yearly
Football players have highest incidence of time-loss heat illness
Friday, August 20, 2010

Mortality Lower for Hip Surgery Patients With Home Care
But most elderly hemiarthroplasty patients discharged home don't receive home care
Monday, August 16, 2010

Screening, Eradication Curtail Post-Surgery Staph Infections
Studies demonstrate high prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, effectiveness of screening
Friday, August 13, 2010

Most Useful Marfan Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria Identified
Craniofacial, palate structure, thumb and wrist, and back signs most indicative of Marfan
Thursday, August 12, 2010

Some Adversity Exposure May Improve Back Pain Outcomes
Back pain sufferers with some exposure have less impairment than those with high or no exposure
Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Few Procedures Account for Most Ortho Adverse Events
Hip fracture repair, total knee arthroplasty lead list for adverse events linked to orthopedic surgery
Monday, August 09, 2010

Fractures Comprise Sizable Portion of HS Sports Injuries
Make up 10.1 percent of injuries in high school athletes; more common in boys, often affect hands
Friday, August 06, 2010

Podiatric Care Reduces Amputation Risk in Diabetes
Lowers foot amputation risk 18 percent for Medicare, 15 percent for non-Medicare patients
Friday, August 06, 2010

Industry-Funded Clinical Trials Yield More Positive Outcomes
Also less likely than government-, nonprofit-funded trials to be published within two years
Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Exercise Adherence Helps Osteoarthritis Patients
Those who stick with home exercise plans and have greater physical activity have better outcomes
Friday, July 30, 2010

Continuous Morphine Plus Injection Preemptive Pain Option
Approach compares favorably with continuous subcutaneous morphine alone after lumbar fusion
Friday, July 30, 2010

General Anesthesia May Up Surgical Site Infection Risk
After total hip or knee replacement, risk higher with general than epidural/spinal anesthesia
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Predictors for Long-Term Back Pain and Disability Evaluated
Disability, pain at one year linked to baseline disability and pain, anxiety, diffuse tenderness
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Regular High-Heel Use Linked to Lower Leg Differences
Frequent heel wearers have shorter gastrocnemius medialis fascicles, stiffer Achilles' tendons
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Quality of Internet Info on Sports Med Diagnoses Variable
Those with HONcode seal more likely to have high-quality content, financial transparency
Friday, July 16, 2010

Pain and Depression Dim Work Expectations After Whiplash
However, two-thirds of whiplash sufferers expect to return to work, while only 1.8 percent do not
Friday, July 16, 2010

Wrist Fractures, Functional Decline Linked in Older Women
Wrist fracture associated with 48 percent higher chance of clinically important decline
Friday, July 09, 2010

Poor Health Literacy Not Major Factor in LBP Disability
Subjective beliefs, avoidance behaviors due to fear related to higher disability levels
Thursday, July 08, 2010

Doctors Agree Malpractice Fears Drive Overuse of Tests
Almost all surveyed physicians say more tests and procedures are ordered than needed
Monday, June 28, 2010

Recent Low Back Pain Guidelines Offer Similar Advice
Review summarizes guidelines' recommendations for assessing and managing low back pain
Friday, June 25, 2010

Spinal Surgical Site Infections Usually S. Aureus
Single debridement, hardware retention, IV antibiotics work for deep surgical site infections
Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Lack of Fitness, Inactivity Linked to Walking Falls
Fitness and physical activity may protect against walking-related falls, especially in men
Friday, June 18, 2010

Psychological Variables Predict Disability From Back Pain
Adapted model finds emotional distress, cognitive appraisal, and fear of work are disability predictors
Thursday, June 17, 2010

Brace Prevents Curve Progression in Scoliosis
Boston brace worn more than 12 hours a day effective in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Friday, June 11, 2010

S. aureus Infections a Greater Risk After Certain Procedures
Cardiothoracic and neurosurgical procedures linked to higher risk of invasive infections
Thursday, June 10, 2010

Fatal Medication Errors Rise in July at Teaching Hospitals
Researchers say arrival of new medical residents at least partly explains the increase
Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Overlap Exists in TBI, Fractures Attributable to Abuse
Brain injury, fracture overlap found in those under 3; falls more common than abuse in those under 1
Monday, June 07, 2010

Smoking Cessation Approach Reduces Surgery Complications
Six-week program initiated after acute fracture surgery decreases post-surgical complications
Monday, June 07, 2010

Cost Varies by Region in Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis
Per-patient average charge ranges from $103,256 to $152,637; length of stay also varies
Thursday, June 03, 2010

Exercise Offers Benefits After Low Back Rehabilitation
Subjects in exercise program have better trunk muscle endurance, disability scores
Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Statins May Reduce Revision Risk After Hip Arthroplasty
Statin use after surgery linked to a relative risk of revision of 0.34 compared to no statin use
Friday, May 28, 2010

FDA: Proton Pump Inhibitors Linked to Fracture Risk
Product labeling changed due to higher fracture risk associated with high doses or long-term use
Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Common School Scoliosis Screening Test Lacks Precision
Forward bending test used in most programs may be insufficient for detecting spine curvature
Tuesday, May 25, 2010

New FDA Program Targets Misleading Drug Advertising
Aims to teach health care providers their role in recognizing, reporting untruthful ads
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Community Prevention Program Reduces Falls Over 12 Months
Incidence rates lower in older individuals using service than those receiving standard care
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

High Body Mass Index Linked to Low Back Pain
Association is stronger in women; study cannot determine whether relationship is causal
Thursday, May 06, 2010

Risk Factors for Physician Misconduct Identified
Male sex, lower socioeconomic status, and difficulty in medical school increase misconduct risk
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

FDA Changes Medical Device Advisory Committee Process
Expert panels reviewing devices for premarket approval will discuss information differently
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Device Found as Effective as Heparin for Clot Prevention
And fewer major bleeding events after hip arthroplasty seen with mobile compression device
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Interruptions Increase Medication Errors by Nurses
The higher the frequency of interruptions, the greater the error severity
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Financial Ties Negatively Affect Perceptions of Research Quality
Patients believe their physicians' ties also influence clinical care
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Soldiers Treated for Neck Pain Unlikely to Return to Duty
Only 14 percent of combat soldiers medically evacuated for neck pain returned to their units
Monday, April 26, 2010

Surgery Helps Improve Sex Life in Lumbar Disc Herniation
Condition can decrease desire, frequency; patients -- particularly men -- see improvements after surgery
Friday, April 16, 2010

Many Women Unaware of Increased Fracture Risk
Even those already diagnosed with osteoporosis may not perceive their increased risk
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Environment Affects Quality of Life in Adolescent Scoliosis
Urban and rural residents report differences in post-surgical quality of life
Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Touch-Screen Survey Works Well for Back Pain Patients
Computer-based questionnaire performs well versus paper form, gets rid of missing values
Monday, April 05, 2010

Appropriateness Criteria May Improve Surgical Outcomes
Application is associated with improved outcomes in patients with low back pain and/or sciatica
Friday, April 02, 2010

Proton-Pump Inhibitors' Link to Osteoporosis Assessed
PPI use does not appear to increase risk of osteoporosis or bone mineral density loss
Friday, April 02, 2010

Education Program in Primary Care Can Help Low Back Pain
Intervention leads to small improvements in disability, pain in patients with low back pain
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Imaging Detects Child Abuse Fractures With High Sensitivity
PET imaging shows higher sensitivity in overall detection of fractures than skeletal survey
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Femur Fractures Very Rare With Bisphosphonates
Risk of subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femur fracture low, even with long-term drug use
Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Two Approaches, Similar Improvement in Back Pain
Group multidisciplinary rehab, individual exercise programs lead to improvements in pain, disability
Monday, March 22, 2010

Integrated Care Program Beneficial in Low Back Pain
Intervention group returned to work an average of 120 days earlier than usual-care group
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Staples Riskier Than Sutures After Orthopedic Surgery
Meta-analysis shows increased infection risk when staples are used for wound closure
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

AAOS: Vigorous Activity Not Found to Hurt Knee Implants
Implant durability not affected by participation in heavy manual labor or high-impact sports
Friday, March 12, 2010

Obese Children More Likely to Incur Lower Extremity Injuries
But less likely to sustain head and face injuries as compared to non-obese children
Monday, March 08, 2010

Medical Checklists Needed to Improve Care and Outcomes
Johns Hopkins authors advocate medical checklist use and propose a process to develop them
Monday, February 22, 2010

Many Adults in Utah Report Using Opioids Incorrectly
Nearly 2 percent say they have used prescription opioids not prescribed to them
Friday, February 19, 2010

Lumbar Fusion Linked to Improved Driver Reaction Time
Patients' driver reaction time after three months found better than preoperative driver reaction time
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Poor Sleep Linked to More Car Accidents in Teenagers
Male gender and use of tobacco also associated with a higher risk of crashes
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Physical Activity Surveillance Methods Need Improvement
Study finds self-reported data on physical activity often paints inaccurate picture
Monday, February 15, 2010

2009 H1N1-Related Deaths and Hospitalizations Examined
CDC finds cases, related hospitalizations and deaths highest among 18 to 64 year olds
Monday, February 15, 2010

Laparoscopic Practice Takes Physical Toll on Surgeons
Study finds that 87 percent of laparoscopic surgeons suffer discomfort or physical symptoms
Thursday, February 11, 2010

AHRQ: U.S. Adults Seeing Big Barriers to Specialty Care
About one in 13 who need specialty care report 'big problem' in gaining access to specialists
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

FDA Initiative Aims to Cut Medical Radiation Exposure
Focus of efforts include computed tomography, nuclear medicine studies and fluoroscopy
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

H1N1 Vaccination Still Highly Recommended
H1N1 activity leveling off, but CDC still recommends vaccination
Monday, February 08, 2010

Many American Adults Do Not Get Recommended Vaccines
40,000 to 50,000 die each year of vaccine-preventable diseases, per report
Monday, February 08, 2010

Physical Inactivity, Not Just Lack of Exercise, Harms Health
Sedentary behavior and lack of movement associated with higher mortality
Friday, February 05, 2010

Coalition Launches Campaign to Limit Residents' Hours
Advocates say 30-hour workdays cause fatigue and medical errors that impact patient safety
Friday, February 05, 2010

Backpack Weight Linked to Back Issues in Children
With loaded backpacks, MRI finds compressed lumbar discs, asymmetry; back pain reported
Friday, February 05, 2010

Health Care Spending Makes Record Leap in GDP Share
GDP health share now estimated at 17.3 percent; health spending in 2019 projected at $4.5 trillion
Thursday, February 04, 2010

Diversity Growth Incremental in the Medical Professions
A century after the Flexner Report, minorities still woefully underrepresented and obstacles remain
Thursday, February 04, 2010

The Lancet Retracts Study Linking MMR Vaccine, Autism
Medical panel finds several elements of the controversial study to be incorrect
Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Antioxidants Found to Alter Muscle Oxygen Use in Rats
Study finds oxygen delivery and consumption altered in resting and contracting muscle
Monday, February 01, 2010

Tylenol Recall in Effect Includes Several Other Drugs
Motrin, Benadryl and Rolaids are also part of recall by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Combination Approach Found to Aid Knee Osteoarthritis
Middle-aged patients in early stages of disease benefit from strength training and self-care
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Biomedical Research Funding Shows Decline in 2008
The decline followed 7.8 percent annual increases in 1994 to 2003, 3.4 percent in 2003 to 2007
Tuesday, January 12, 2010

First Few Weeks Most Critical After Joint Replacement
Excess mortality persists but steadily decreases during first 26 postoperative days
Monday, January 11, 2010

Skin Preparations Decrease Risk of Surgical-Site Infections
Reduced risk seen with mupirocin nasal ointment and chlorhexidine soap, chlorhexidine-alcohol
Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Precautions and Training Can Reduce Scalpel Injuries
Study suggests technological innovations reduce the need for traditional blades
Thursday, December 31, 2009

Ultrasound Detects Shoulder Dislocation After Birth Injury
Study finds screening at 3 to 6 months of age detects most cases
Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Surveillance Can Reduce Treatment in Mild Hip Dysplasia
Active surveillance strategy reduces treatment rate and health care costs, with similar outcomes
Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Risk of Neurologic Deficit Right After Spinal Surgery Low
Study finds epidural hematoma and inadequate decompression to be the most common etiologies
Monday, December 21, 2009

Digital Radiography Rapidly Localizes Spine Level
Technique is faster than and as effective as conventional radiography and may reduce costs
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Lower Speed Limit Reduces Casualties in London
Introduction of 20 mph zones associated with 42 percent decrease in deaths and serious injuries
Friday, December 11, 2009

Patients Often Lack Knowledge of Their Own Medications
Study suggests incorporating them into medication management would improve safety
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Algorithm Developed for Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing
Algorithm may help surgeons identify which patients are most likely to benefit
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Depression Linked to Poorer Spinal Surgery Outcomes
Preoperative and early postoperative depression leads to lower function ability and more pain
Monday, December 07, 2009

New Cervical Spine Surgery Protocol May Reduce Delirium
Early movement and reduced methylprednisolone can decrease postoperative delirium risk in elderly
Friday, December 04, 2009

Women Researchers Lag Behind Men in Grant Awards
Study finds 36.2 percent of women researchers earn awards versus 45.6 percent of men
Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Study Finds Surgeon Burnout Associated With Medical Errors
Depersonalization, emotional exhaustion linked to higher chance of reporting recent errors
Friday, November 27, 2009

Most Medical Journals Have Conflict of Interest Policies
Still, study suggests definition of conflict and disclosure requirements of authors vary greatly
Tuesday, November 24, 2009

New Algorithms Help Predict Osteoporotic Fracture Risk
QFractureScores may identify patients at high risk of fracture within general practice setting
Friday, November 20, 2009

Risk Factors for Shoulder Redislocation Examined
Younger age, male gender and longer duration between injury and surgery increase risk
Friday, November 13, 2009

Knee Ligament Reconstruction Techniques Compared
Study finds arthroscopic double-bundle technique produces the best knee stability results
Thursday, November 12, 2009

Study Finds Costs of Quality Programs Burden Practices
Another study finds many clinical trials change study design outcomes without explanation
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Medical Errors Disclosure Can Help Physicians and Patients
Second study suggests patients give higher quality ratings when staff report mistakes
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Benefits of Steroid Use After Knee Arthroplasty Studied
Adding steroids to pain medications may shorten hospital stay but does not help pain or motion
Monday, November 09, 2009

Study Looks at Potential Benefits of Ligamentoplasty
Trend indicates less adjacent-segment morbidity, fewer reoperations than fusion surgeries
Monday, November 09, 2009

Lumbar Spine Functional Restoration Program Evaluated
Program completion likely improves pain and disability associated with lumbar disorders
Monday, November 09, 2009

Shock-Wave Therapy and Surgery for Fractures Assessed
Study finds shock-wave therapy as effective as surgery in healing long-bone fractures
Friday, November 06, 2009

Self-Paced Walking Test Useful in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Test may provide more accurate assessment of walking capacity than standard treadmill test
Friday, November 06, 2009

Teriparatide May Help Treat Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis
Drug found better than alendronate at increasing bone mineral density and preventing fractures
Thursday, November 05, 2009

Background Disease Rates Important in H1N1 Pandemic
Awareness is essential to prevent public fears that could hinder mass immunization programs
Monday, November 02, 2009

Pain Among Men and Women War Veterans Evaluated
Female veterans have lower prevalence of overall, moderate-severe, and persistent pain
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Overweight Patients May Have Effect on Doctor's Attitude
Study finds that physicians may have lower respect for patients with higher body mass index
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Medical School Enrollment Continues to Expand
Number of residency slots also needs to increase to meet future demand for physicians
Monday, October 26, 2009

Article Reviews Techniques for Idiopathic Clubfoot Correction
Study shows Ponseti slightly better than French functional method, but difference not significant
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Some Hospital Staff Predicted to Be Infection Superspreaders
Hand washing compliance by staff in contact with all patients has biggest impact
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Sources Find Different Numbers of Active Physicians
Study compares projections of future physician work force using U.S. Census, AMA Masterfile
Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cardiovascular Disease Linked to Hip Fracture Risk
Swedish twin study even suggests elevated risk for those whose twin had heart failure or stroke
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

ASA: IV Dextrose Found to Ease Postoperative Nausea
Patients treated after surgery had lower nausea, vomiting scores, needed less rescue anti-emetics
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Childhood Hypertension Linked to Early Maturation
Advanced biological maturation may serve as independent marker for primary hypertension
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

FDA Launches Drug Disposal Advice Web Page
Flushing recommended for some drugs with potentially deadly effects
Friday, October 16, 2009

Pronation and Supination Compared for Pulled Elbow
Further studies need to be performed to verify limited evidence from three small trials
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Study Finds Exercise Reduces Bone Loss During Lactation
New moms lose significantly less lumbar spine bone mineral density and lean body mass
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Study Evaluates Hospital Quality and Mortality Rates
Findings suggest major quality differences between hospitals, but mortality rate improving
Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Cytokines Linked to Knee Pain With Meniscal Injury
IL-6, MCP-1, MIP-1β and IFN-γ higher in painful knees and correlated with pain scores
Friday, October 09, 2009

Health Care Disparities Among States Found to Be Widening
Commonwealth Fund Commission state report card emphasizes need for health care reform
Friday, October 09, 2009

Organ Donor Family Consent Request Protocols Compared
ACRE trial finds no advantage to organ donor collaborative requesting approach
Friday, October 09, 2009

Roundtable Discussion Tackles Health Care Reform
Improvements in payment, more data to guide decisions could lead to wiser health spending
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Medical Students Want More Practice of Medicine Training
Report finds time devoted to medical economics does not adversely affect clinical training quality
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Wrist Fractures Less Likely Evaluated for Osteoporosis
Study finds hip and spine fracture patients more apt to undergo bone density scans
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Effectiveness and Cost Help to Make Coverage Decisions
Study suggests countries that use these two criteria can also incorporate other factors
Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Surgical Masks Found to Be Non-Inferior to Respirators
Masks may be just as effective as respirators in preventing flu in health care workers
Thursday, October 01, 2009

CDC Says States Not Meeting Fruit and Veggie Objectives
State-by-state report finds states deficient in supporting healthy food in stores and schools
Thursday, October 01, 2009

Bacterial Infections Are a Factor in Many H1N1 Deaths
Finding underscores importance of pneumococcal vaccination for those at high risk for pneumonia
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Low Back Pain in Pregnancy a Major Health Issue in Iran
Researchers urge implementation of strategies to reduce Iran's high prevalence of low back pain
Monday, September 28, 2009

H1N1 Virus's Genetic Makeup Appears to Be Staying Stable
CDC suggests forthcoming vaccine likely to be very effective in preventing the disease
Monday, September 28, 2009

Review Advises Hand Washing, Other Antiviral Measures
Masks, gloves, focusing on children's hygiene helpful in preventing respiratory virus spread
Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Spotlight on Social Networking Use Among Medical Students
Survey finds a minority of medical schools have policies governing online posting by students
Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Scoliosis Surgery Linked to Good Long-Term Outcomes
Rates of low back pain, employment, childbearing are similar to those of general population
Monday, September 21, 2009

Taxes on Sugared Sodas Could Cut Consumption
Price increase would deter some from buying; money could be used for health programs
Thursday, September 17, 2009

FDA Approves Four Vaccines for H1N1 Influenza
Clinical studies have shown robust immune response in adults within 10 days
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Drug Interaction E-Alerts Show Benefit to Patient Safety
Electronic alerts reduce adverse events including death and disability, as well as costs
Monday, September 14, 2009

Mutated H1N1 Virus Resistant to Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir
Resistant H1N1 prompts new CDC advisory on prophylactic use of antviral drug
Friday, September 11, 2009

Compensation Status Doesn't Delay Canadians' Back Surgery
Study dispels notion of longer waits for workers' compensation or personal disability patients
Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Many Orthopedic Trials Do Not Adhere to Principle for Validity
Many trials purporting to follow the intention-to-treat principle actually fail to do so
Friday, September 04, 2009

Department Issues New HIPAA Notification Regulations
HHS regulations cover need to notify individuals after breaches of their health information
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Health Care Financing Model Rewards Efficient Care
Incentives for reducing potentially avoidable costs put focus on quality
Friday, August 21, 2009

Exercise May Help Pain and Function After Lumbar Surgery
But reviewers say the evidence for exercise-based rehab is only of low and moderate quality
Monday, August 17, 2009

Difference Between Near Miss, Wrong-Site Surgery Studied
Near misses more likely to involve surgical team members who feel able to express concerns
Monday, August 17, 2009

Alarm Symptoms Often Do Not Result in Timely Diagnosis
Many evaluated for hematuria, hemoptysis, other conditions lack definite diagnoses after three years
Friday, August 14, 2009

Discharge Summaries Often Lack Pending Test Results
Also often lack provider follow-up information; can lead to medical errors
Thursday, August 13, 2009

FDA Aims to Ease Access to Investigational Drugs
New rules make the drugs more widely available to seriously ill patients outside clinical trials
Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Best Treatment for Lower Extremity Sarcoma Unknown
Need for more studies comparing impact, benefit of limb salvage surgery with amputation
Monday, August 10, 2009

HHS Releases Reports on Health Insurance Reform
Health and Human Services says reform would decrease costs, increase number of options
Friday, August 07, 2009

Stroke Can Increase Risk of Hip or Femur Fracture
Fracture risk heightened in recent stroke patients, females, and those under 71 years
Friday, August 07, 2009

Electronic Disease Surveillance Systems Vary Widely
Lack of unified systems will increase cost of data sharing, report predicts
Friday, July 31, 2009

U.S. Health Data Network a Powerful Tool for Quality
DARTNet, a prototype for data sharing, already gives clinicians access to data on 400,000 patients
Friday, July 31, 2009

Radiologist Workload Rises Overall, but Varies by Practice
Radiologist procedures have increased 7 percent in past four years, 34 percent since early 1990s
Thursday, July 30, 2009

Methods to Determine Health Care Priorities Questioned
Debate over whether to base resource allocation on measures of patient or public attitudes
Friday, July 24, 2009

Camera Phones Can Help Doctors Make Rare Diagnoses
Patient captured images of transient symptoms and gave them to her doctor
Friday, July 24, 2009

Some Improvements Seen in Hip Fracture Pain Practices
Numeric rating scale assessment has increased; but opioid management has remained static
Thursday, July 23, 2009

Emergency Clinicians Need Training to Treat Blast Injuries
With terrorism threat, emergency teams need to know how to treat injuries from explosions
Thursday, July 23, 2009

Obesity Rates Highest Among African-American Population
Prevalence among African-Americans 51 percent higher than among Caucasians
Friday, July 17, 2009

Obesity Rates for American Adults Still Going Up
CDC survey finds a quarter of the population in 32 states is now obese
Thursday, July 09, 2009

FDA Requires Stronger Label Warnings About Propoxyphene
Pain reliever linked to fatal overdose; agency to study how high doses affect heart
Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Priorities Set for Comparative Effectiveness Research
Best ways to spend $400 million research budget identified
Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Americans Paying for More of Their Health Care Costs
Families with individual coverage may spend 22 to 50 percent of household income on health care
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

President Signs Tobacco Law, Acts on Medicare Coverage
New law regulates tobacco marketing; Medicare reform to cut costs for seniors in coverage gap
Monday, June 22, 2009

Reinforced Infection Control Needed to Combat H1N1
Health care personnel are picking up infections in medical and community settings
Monday, June 22, 2009

AMA: Policy Statement Supports Health Care Reform
Association also adopts strategies to reduce medical school debt, increase supply of physicians
Thursday, June 18, 2009

Glove Perforation Raises Odds of Surgical Site Infection
But surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis eliminates the risk, study finds
Thursday, June 18, 2009

Individual Mandate for Health Insurance Affordable and Fair
Perspective offers that compulsory minimum health insurance would benefit health care reform
Wednesday, June 17, 2009

AMA: Air Travel Guidelines Needed to Prevent Flu's Spread
Separate policy recognizes health care facilities' role in sustainable, healthy food system
Wednesday, June 17, 2009

AMA: Guidance Offered on Medical Record Breaches
American Medical Association also addresses male breast cancer, anti-aging hormone use
Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sweeping Medical Reforms Lack Medical Liability Element
Focus is on cost control, with other issues not yet addressed
Monday, June 15, 2009

Bill Giving FDA Authority Over Tobacco on Way to President
House of Representatives rapidly endorses Senate's version of bill passed late Thursday
Friday, June 12, 2009

Senate Approves Bill Giving FDA Authority Over Tobacco
Measure requires companies to list ingredients and agency to approve new products
Thursday, June 11, 2009

Many U.K. Trained Doctors Stay in National Health Service
And men and women found to choose similar career paths
Wednesday, June 03, 2009

ACSM: Washington D.C. Named Fittest Metro Region
Minneapolis, Denver, and Boston also rank high in the annual American Fitness Index report
Thursday, May 28, 2009

Music Reduces Confusion After Hip or Knee Surgery
In older adults, listening to music for three days may be linked to improved cognitive function
Monday, May 25, 2009

Democrats Set Ambitious Goal for Health Care Reform
Physicians can take lead to get much-needed federal legislation passed
Thursday, May 21, 2009

Simple Plastic Glasses Can Protect Orthopedic Surgeons
No need for special equipment to protect against conjunctival contamination
Friday, May 08, 2009

Medical Center Press Releases Often Lacking Key Details
Many overstate importance and clinical relevance of studies but omit cautions and limitations
Tuesday, May 05, 2009

More Americans Reporting Disability
Arthritis, rheumatism, back and heart problems most common causes
Friday, May 01, 2009

New Web-based Information Source to Support UK Clinicians
NHS Evidence employs technology and rigorous criteria to assure relevance and quality
Thursday, April 30, 2009

NEJM Commends New Conflict of Interest Proposal
Editorialist says comprehensive recommendations could significantly impact practices, institutions
Thursday, April 30, 2009

FDA Requires OTC Pain Relievers to Display Warnings
New rule requires warnings on stomach bleeding, liver damage on NSAIDs and acetaminophen
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Pharmacist Involvement May Decrease Medication Errors
Two studies suggest benefits of an interdisciplinary medication reconciliation process
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Steep Copayments Increase Risk of Non-Adherence
Higher out-of-pocket drug costs delay initiation of therapy for patients with chronic conditions
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

ACP: Board Votes to Enhance Perception of Primary Care
Regents support measures including legislation to fund studies assessing value of primary care
Friday, April 24, 2009

Shoe Insoles Don't Appear to Prevent Back Pain
Review finds strong evidence against insoles for prevention; insufficient evidence on treatment
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Having Health Insurance May Not Improve Mortality Risk
Researchers say finding suggests universal coverage would not decrease US death rate
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Oral Bisphosphonates Link to Esophageal Cancer Analyzed
Studies reported in NEJM correspondence find no cancer risk with osteoporosis drug
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Stretches Without Health Insurance More Common
Change from early 1980s to early 2000s seen particularly in those with lowest education level
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Continuity of Care Declining for Medicare Beneficiaries
Less than a third of beneficiaries saw their PCP when they were hospitalized in 2006
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Spine Patients Choose Surgery to Improve Functioning
Patients with serious spinal deformities are less interested in pain relief, more interested in walking
Friday, April 17, 2009

Financial Rewards for Healthy Behavior Can Be Effective
But the practice can be fraught with moral dilemmas
Friday, April 10, 2009

Accelerated Care Cost-Effective After Joint Replacement
Perioperative care and rehabilitation protocol is associated with significant savings
Thursday, April 09, 2009

Electronic Prescribing Online-Learning Tools Launched
American Medical Association tools will help physicians evaluate ePrescribing systems
Thursday, April 02, 2009

Changes Needed in New-Drug Evaluation Process
Patients get 'poor return on investment'; independent evaluation and transparency needed
Wednesday, April 01, 2009

New Health Program Leads to Questions in the UK
Program calls for each primary care trust to seek a general practitioner-led health center
Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Safe Practice Scores Do Not Add Up to Fewer Patient Deaths
Safe Practices Survey data only shows how hospitals have implemented safety guidelines
Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Somatosensory Evoked Potential Monitoring Useful
Technique may help prevent position-related peripheral nerve injuries in spinal surgery patients
Thursday, March 26, 2009

Cost Barriers Slow Adoption of Electronic Health Records
But government intervention and funding could quickly spur improvement
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Transdermal Patches Pose Burn Risk During Scans
Metal in patches can cause burns during MRI
Friday, March 06, 2009

Obama Wants to Spend $630 Billion on Health Care Reform
President's plan calls for replacement of Medicare reimbursement system, increase in FDA budget
Thursday, March 05, 2009

Vitamin K Doesn't Reduce Bleeding in Warfarin Patients
But single dose in overanticoagulated patients may help lower international normalized ratio
Tuesday, March 03, 2009

US Motor Vehicle-Related Death Rates Vary Geographically
Mortality rate in the South double that of the Northeast
Monday, March 02, 2009

AAOS: Soaring Demand for Joint Surgery May Not Be Met
Shortage of qualified surgeons may prevent many patients from receiving new hips and knees
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Insurance Essential for Good Health, Well-Being
Report calls on policymakers, public to address uninsurance problem
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

US Health Spending May Have Hit $2.4 Trillion in 2008
Private health spending growth due to hit 15-year low
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Proposed Changes to Health Care Would Reduce Costs
Investing in health care reform will improve outcomes, save money
Thursday, February 19, 2009

Transparency, Globalization Growing in Clinical Research
Enhanced data reporting, increased globalization among recent trends in clinical trial research
Thursday, February 19, 2009

Implementing a Quality Improvement Faculty Path
Criteria include broadening promotion factors, considering publication alternatives
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Ads Featuring 'Drug Facts Box' Help Educate Consumers
Replacement of brief summary with 'facts box' may lead to better informed medication choices
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Care Coordination Programs Don't Benefit Medicare Patients
Few such programs reduce hospitalizations, monthly expenditures or improve quality of care
Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Graded Exercise Program Improves Low Back Pain
Program emphasizes stabilizing exercises
Thursday, February 05, 2009

US Outpatient Surgeries Increasingly Common
Outpatient surgeries accounted for half of all surgeries in 1996 and nearly two-thirds of surgeries in 2006
Friday, January 30, 2009

Clinical Information Technology Leads to Safer Hospitals
Automated records associated with lower mortality, fewer complications
Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Prolonged Use of Loop Diuretics May Raise Fracture Risk
Medications are normally used by women already at risk for fractures
Monday, January 26, 2009

Meditation Practice Linked to Less Pain Sensitivity
Experienced Zen meditators needed higher temperature stimulation to feel moderate pain
Monday, January 26, 2009

AHA: Medical Usage High Among Heart Failure Patients
Each year, those with severe disease see up to 23 clinicians
Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Premiums Up, Coverage Down for Medicare Part D Plans
Nearly all stand-alone Medicare Part D plans will have a coverage gap in 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008

Access to Primary Care Key to US Health Care Reform
Careers in primary care should be supported and promoted
Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Credit Crisis to Take Long-Term Toll on Health System
UK's National Health Service will have no real growth in funding
Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Placebo Treatments Commonly Utilized
Prescribing placebo treatments viewed as both common and ethical
Friday, October 24, 2008

Financial Bailout Puts US Health Care Reform in Jeopardy
Neither McCain's nor Obama's proposals would escape unscathed
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

UK Researchers Demand Regulatory Relief
Regulatory burden of clinical research threatens to inhibit delivery of potential life-saving benefits
Friday, October 17, 2008

Workers' Comp Linked to Poor Rotator Cuff Surgery Outcome
Worse outcomes after surgery are independently predicted by a Worker's Compensation claim
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Lumbar Brace of No Benefit After Spine Arthrodesis
No significant advantage or disadvantage of lumbar corset use following lumbar arthrodesis
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Stroke and Heart Attack Risk of Vioxx Confirmed
Long-term data compatible with earlier findings on rofecoxib and cardiovascular events
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

NSAIDs May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Inconsistent results may be related to COX-2 expression
Friday, October 10, 2008

Americans Urged to Get Physically Active
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issues guidelines on recommended levels of physical activity
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

News Media Under-Report Drug Company Funding of Research
Few newspapers have written policy on reporting funding and using generic names for drugs
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

No Change to 2009 Part B Medicare Premium
First time since 2000 that premium has not been raised yearly
Monday, September 22, 2008

Antibiotic Resistance Has Become a Global Pandemic
Major medical breakthroughs under threat from loss of antibiotic efficacy
Friday, September 19, 2008

Lancet Supports WHO Report on Health Inequality
Journal applauds report's call to action, will participate in conference and publish theme issue
Friday, August 29, 2008

Bunion Patients Brake Faster Six Weeks After Surgery
Six weeks appears sufficient for return to driving after first metatarsal osteotomy for bunion
Thursday, August 28, 2008

New Pain Guidelines Released
More than 200 evidenced-based recommendations for chronic pain are outlined
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Outlook Mixed on US Presidential Candidates' Health Plans
Commentary examines potential benefits, flaws in McCain and Obama health care proposals
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Behavioral Counseling Technique Reduces Back Pain
Involves improvement in posture and neuromuscular coordination
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Seniors Likely to Find Medicare Health Web Site Unusable
Study of computer-savvy seniors shows the site is difficult to use and navigate
Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Over 1 Billion U.S. Doctor, Hospital Visits Logged in 2006
CDC attributes increase to aging of the U.S. population
Thursday, August 07, 2008

International Issue of Torture Complicity Analyzed
Medical community may condone torture or fail to intervene
Friday, August 01, 2008

Device May Decrease Musculoskeletal Procedure Pain
Reciprocating procedure device also found to improve outcomes, increase safety
Thursday, July 31, 2008

Exception Reporting Improves Pay-for-Performance Benefits
Inappropriate exclusion is rare
Thursday, July 17, 2008

Health Cash Incentives for Poor People Debated
Affirmative side says they may reduce health inequality; negative side doubts significant benefit
Wednesday, July 09, 2008