Osteoarthritis and Bone Disorders News

The very idea of social distancing runs contrary to congregation and celebration, two things that lie at the core of New Orleans culture. It is for this reason, perhaps, that New Orleanians were initially resistant to quarantine measures to contain COVID-19. But as the death toll climbed and Mayor LaToya Cantrell canceled St. Patrick’s Day festivities, the city slowly awakened to the idea that this was serious business.

Patients with knee osteoarthritis who participated in physical therapy demonstrated less pain and functional disability at 1 year compared with those who received glucocorticoid injection, according to data published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Among patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis, treatment with 5-mg doses of tanezumab statistically significantly improved pain, physical function and Patient’s Global Assessment of OA scores, while 2.5-mg doses achieved just two endpoints, according to data published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Knee pain patterns were associated with radiographic osteoarthritis disease stage and duration, in addition to pain severity, according to findings published in Arthritis Care & Research.

The FDA has approved an abbreviated new drug application from Perrigo for an over-the-counter store brand equivalent of Voltaren, according to a company press release.

Sprifermin increased cartilage thickness and reduced cartilage loss among patients with knee OA, according to data published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Disorders.

A newly formed organization, the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance, has launched an international registry to collect data on patients with rheumatic diseases who may or may not have contracted the infection that is causing the global pandemic. The aim is to aid clinicians and researchers in real time as the situation evolves.

Patients with knee osteoarthritis demonstrated higher average pain intensity and worse physical and mental health if they also have diabetes, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.

Black populations demonstrated lower odds for hand osteoarthritis, compared with nonblack groups, according to data published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Adults aged 18 to 50 years with various rheumatic conditions experience significant arthritis-related financial burdens, often leading to considerable distress and anxiety, according to findings published in Arthritis Care & Research.