Paw pressure and gait in middle-aged client-owned cats with and without naturally-occurring musculoskeletal disease.

Musculoskeletal disease (MSD) is common in ageing cats, resulting in chronic pain and mobility impairment, but diagnosis can be challenging. We hypothesised that there would be differences between cats with and without MSD in paw pressure and spatiotemporal and kinetic gait metrics. A cohort of 53 cats, aged between 7 and 10 years from the North West of the United Kingdom, underwent an orthopaedic examination and walked on a pressure sensitive walkway.

The burden of metastatic breast cancer on caregiver productivity and quality of life: A survey study in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany.

Background: Caring for a patient with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) can impose a substantial burden and can lead to significant productivity losses. However, the extent to which productivity loss impacts caregiver well-being has not been well-elucidated. This study examined the relationship between productivity and other characteristics with quality of life (QoL) to illuminate the multifaceted challenges faced by caregivers in the context of mBC.

Critical Comments by Food and Drug Administration Reviewers on Patient-Reported Outcomes in Food and Drug Administration Regulatory Submissions (2018-2021).

Objectives: This article examined the inclusion of patient-reported outcome (PRO) data in new drug applications (NDAs) submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approved from 2018 to 2021. The importance of assessing PROs, which capture patients' perspectives on the disease and treatment experience, has been underscored by many stakeholders, including regulatory authorities. Despite the increasing inclusion of PRO assessments in registration trials, inclusion of language related to PRO results in approved product labeling varies widely.

Treatment patterns of patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer receiving CDK4/6 inhibitor-based regimens: a cohort study in the French nationwide healthcare database.

Purpose: To assess real-world treatment patterns in patients diagnosed with hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) who received cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant at first line.

Methods: Patient characteristics, treatment history, and outcomes data were extracted from the French 'Système National des Données de Santé' (SNDS) database for patients diagnosed with HR+/HER2- mBC between January 2014 and June 2019 and who received combination therapy with a CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to assess time to next treatment (TTNT) and time to treatment discontinuation (TTTD).

Small RNA signatures of the anterior cruciate ligament from patients with knee joint osteoarthritis.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is susceptible to degeneration, resulting in joint pain, reduced mobility, and osteoarthritis development. There is currently a paucity of knowledge on how anterior cruciate ligament degeneration and disease leads to osteoarthritis. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), such as microRNAs and small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), have diverse roles, including regulation of gene expression.

GenPup-M: A novel validated owner-reported clinical metrology instrument for detecting early mobility changes in dogs.

Objective: To use a previously validated veterinary clinical examination sheet, Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire, combined with kinetic and kinematic gait analysis in dogs with/without mobility problems to demonstrate the capacity of a novel clinical metrology instrument ("GenPup-M") to detect canine mobility impairments.

Design: Quantitative study.

Animals: 62 dogs (31 with mobility impairments and 31 without mobility impairments).

Determining predictive metabolomic biomarkers of meniscal injury in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

Objectives: This study used hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the first time to examine differences in the metabolomic profile of stifle joint synovial fluid from dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture with and without meniscal injuries, in order to identify biomarkers of meniscal injury. Identifying a biomarker of meniscal injury could then ultimately be used to design a minimally invasive diagnostic test for meniscal injuries in dogs.

Materials And Methods: Stifle joint synovial fluid was collected from dogs undergoing stifle joint surgery or arthrocentesis for lameness investigations.

Current evidence for non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical treatments of canine osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive degenerative disease process that affects a significant proportion of the canine population, impacting these animals' quality of life. Currently, there is no cure and treatment consists of managing the clinical signs of pain and reduced mobility. There are many treatments for canine osteoarthritis and in this review we discuss the evidence base behind non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical treatments of this disease.

Recall Bias in Client-Reported Outcomes in Canine Orthopaedic Patients Using Clinical Metrology Instruments.

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of client recollection of their dogs' preconsultation status using clinical metrology instruments such as the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) and Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) questionnaires in dogs presenting to a referral orthopaedic clinic.

Study Design:  This is a longitudinal prospective cohort study of client-owned dogs presenting for investigations of lameness ( = 217). LOAD and CBPI questionnaires were completed by the owners at the first consultation (T0).

An update on mobility assessment of dogs with musculoskeletal disease.

Mobility impairments associated with musculoskeletal diseases, such as osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease, affect approximately 200,000 dogs annually and pose a notable challenge to canine health and welfare. Osteoarthritis causes the remodelling of synovial joints, alongside inflammation and impaired mechanical function which can be extremely debilitating. Secondary osteoarthritis commonly affects dogs and can be exacerbated by previous joint abnormalities, such as patellar luxation or cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

Ultrasonographic monitoring of feline epaxial muscle height as part of an annual wellness examination to assess for the development of sarcopenia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if epaxial muscle height (EMH) could be reliably incorporated into annual routine wellness screenings, and also determine its relationship to age, body condition score (BCS), subjective muscle assessment (SMA), breed and sex in mature cats.

Methods: EMH was determined independently by three observers from ultrasonographic examinations - collected by an additional trained individual - of cats enrolled at the Feline Healthy Ageing Clinic, University of Liverpool, UK. Age, body weight, BCS and SMA data were also collected.

Proteoglycans play a role in the viscoelastic behaviour of the canine cranial cruciate ligament.

Proteoglycans (PGs) are minor extracellular matrix proteins, and their contributions to the mechanobiology of complex ligaments such as the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) have not been determined to date. The CCLs are highly susceptible to injuries, and their extracellular matrix comprises higher PGs content than the other major knee ligaments. Hence these characteristics make CCLs an ideal specimen to use as a model in this study.

Ligament mechanics of ageing and osteoarthritic human knees.

Knee joint ligaments provide stability to the joint by preventing excessive movement. There has been no systematic effort to study the effect of OA and ageing on the mechanical properties of the four major human knee ligaments. This study aims to collate data on the material properties of the anterior (ACL) and posterior (PCL) cruciate ligaments, medial (MCL) and lateral (LCL) collateral ligaments.

Outcomes and complications reported from a multiuser canine hip replacement registry over a 10-year period.

Objective: To report outcomes and complications associated with total hip replacements (THR) using a multiuser canine hip registry (CHR) and owner-administered questionnaire.

Study Design: Prospective longitudinal clinical study.

Animals: Dogs (n = 1852).

Age-related changes in microRNAs expression in cruciate ligaments of wild-stock house mice.

Cruciate ligaments (CL) of the knee joint are injured following trauma or aging. MicroRNAs (miRs) are potential therapeutic targets in musculoskeletal disorders, but there is little known about the role of miRs and their expression ligaments during aging. This study aimed to (1) identify if mice with normal physical activity, wild-stock house mice are an appropriate model to study age-related changes in the knee joint and (2) investigate the expression of miRs in aging murine cruciate ligaments.

CT attenuation of the medial coronoid process is reduced in dogs with medial coronoid disease but independent of arthroscopic disease severity.

Objective: To compare the attenuation of the medial coronoid process (MCP) in dogs with and without arthroscopically confirmed evidence of medial coronoid disease (MCD).

Animals: The database at our institution was searched for cases with thoracic limb lameness, diagnosed with MCD by arthroscopic examination that had CT as part of their investigation and compared with a control group of elbow joints from cadavers euthanized for reasons unrelated to MCD. A total of 84 elbow joints were included that met these criteria.

Progression-free survival and quality of life in metastatic breast cancer: The patient perspective.

Introduction: Treatment advances for metastatic breast cancer (mBC) have improved overall survival (OS) in some mBC subtypes; however, there remains no cure for mBC. Considering the use of progression-free survival (PFS) and other surrogate endpoints in clinical trials, we must understand patient perspectives on measures used to assess treatment efficacy.

Objective: To explore global patient perceptions of the concept of PFS and its potential relation to quality of life (QoL).

Long-term follow up of 44 cats undergoing total hip replacement: Cases from a feline hip registry (2010-2020).

Objective: To report indications, complications, and long-term outcomes following feline total hip replacement (THR) using a client-based clinical metrology questionnaire, the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI), and owner satisfaction.

Study Design: Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study.

Animals: Cats (n = 44) that underwent THR (n = 56).

The anterior cruciate ligament in murine post-traumatic osteoarthritis: markers and mechanics.

Background: Knee joint injuries, common in athletes, have a high risk of developing post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Ligaments, matrix-rich connective tissues, play important mechanical functions stabilising the knee joint, and yet their role post-trauma is not understood. Recent studies have shown that ligament extracellular matrix structure is compromised in the early stages of spontaneous osteoarthritis (OA) and PTOA, but it remains unclear how ligament matrix pathology affects ligament mechanical function.

Aging in Cats: Owner Observations and Clinical Finding in 206 Mature Cats at Enrolment to the Cat Prospective Aging and Welfare Study.

Two hundred and six cats, aged between 7 and 10 years, from the North-west of the UK, were enrolled in a cat aging and welfare study to determine the frequency of age-related conditions and associations with husbandry, owner observations of physical appearance, activity and behavior. This is the largest study to date of mature cats that includes data from an owner questionnaire and clinical examinations. At enrolment, owners frequently reported physical changes (53%), behavioral changes (47%), changes to eating patterns (41%), and activity changes (40%) in their mature cats.

Advances in the pharmaceutical treatment options for canine osteoarthritis.

Canine osteoarthritis is a significant cause of pain in many dogs and can therefore compromise animal welfare. As the understanding of the biology and pain mechanisms underpinning osteoarthritis grows, so do the number of treatments available to manage it. Over the last decade, there have been a number of advances in the pharmaceutical treatment options available for dogs with osteoarthritis, as well as an increasing number of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of pre-existing treatments.

Analysis of feline humeral fracture morphology and a comparison of fracture repair stabilisation methods: 101 cases (2009-2020).

Objectives: The aims of this study were to describe the type, presentation and prognostic factors of feline humeral fractures over a 10-year period and to compare three stabilisation systems for feline humeral diaphyseal fractures.

Methods: In total, 101 cats with humeral fractures presenting to seven UK referral centres between 2009 and 2020 were reviewed. Data collected included signalment, weight at the time of surgery, fracture aetiology, preoperative presentation, fixation method, surgical details, perioperative management and follow-up examinations.

The effect of exercise on the protein profile of rat knee joint intra- and extra-articular ligaments.

Injuries to the intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the extra-articular medial collateral ligament (MCL) result in significant knee joint instability, pain, and immobility. Moderate endurance-type exercise can increase ligament strength but little is known on the effect of short-term regular bouts of high-intensity exercise on the extracellular matrix (ECM) structure of knee ligaments. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the effect of short-term regular bouts high exercise on the proteome of the rat ACL and MCL using mass spectrometry.

Characterisation of key proteoglycans in the cranial cruciate ligaments (CCLs) from two dog breeds with different predispositions to CCL disease and rupture.

Cranial cruciate ligament disease and rupture (CCLD/R) is one of the most common orthopaedic conditions in dogs, eventually leading to osteoarthritis of the stifle joint. Certain dog breeds such as the Staffordshire bull terrier have an increased risk of developing CCLD/R. Previous studies into CCLD/R have found that glycosaminoglycan levels were elevated in cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tissue from high-risk breeds when compared to the CCL from a low-risk breed to CCLD/R.

Adherence to Chronic Kidney Disease Screening Guidelines Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in a US Administrative Claims Database.

Objective: To examine the screening rates for kidney damage and function among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease stage at diabetes diagnosis using a US administrative claims database.

Patients And Methods: This cohort study used a claims database enriched with laboratory results data. Patients with T2D (defined as 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient claims for diabetes), aged 18 years or older, and with at least 1 year of follow-up enrollment were identified.