Considering care: A traumatic obturator fracture dislocation of the hip in a middle-aged man from Gaelic Medieval Ballyhanna, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

Objective: This article explores the potential care provided to a middle-aged man who had a suite of injuries evident in his skeleton, most notably an obturator fracture dislocation in his left hip.

Materials: The skeleton derived from the Late Medieval Gaelic population buried at Ballyhanna, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

Evaluation of a complex intervention to improve primary care prescribing: a phase IV segmented regression interrupted time series analysis.

Background: It is uncertain whether improvements in primary care high-risk prescribing seen in research trials can be realised in the real-world setting.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of a 1-year system-wide phase IV prescribing safety improvement initiative, which included education, feedback, support to identify patients to review, and small financial incentives.

Design And Setting: An interrupted time series analysis of targeted high-risk prescribing in all 56 general practices in NHS Forth Valley, Scotland, was performed.

Identification of factors associated with the development of knee osteoarthritis in a young to middle-aged cohort of patients with knee complaints.

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for knee osteoarthritis (OA) development in a young to middle-aged population with sub-acute knee complaints. This, in order to define high risk patients who may benefit from early preventive or future disease modifying therapies. Knee OA development visible on radiographs and MR in 319 patients (mean age 41.

EULAR recommendations for the use of imaging of the joints in the clinical management of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To develop evidence-based recommendations on the use of imaging of the joints in the clinical management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: The task force comprised an expert group of rheumatologists, radiologists, methodologists and experienced rheumatology practitioners from 13 countries. Thirteen key questions on the role of imaging in RA were generated using a process of discussion and consensus.

Clustering of hand osteoarthritis progression and its relationship to progression of osteoarthritis at the knee.

Objective: To investigate patterns of osteoarthritis (OA) progression within hand joints and the relationship between hand OA progression and progression of OA at the knee.

Methods: Radiographic progression over 6 years, defined as change in osteophytes or joint space narrowing above the smallest detectable change, was assessed on hand and knee radiographs of 236 hand OA patients participating in the Genetics, Arthrosis and Progression (GARP) sibling pair cohort study using OARSI atlas. Clustering of radiographic progression between hand joint groups (DIP, PIP, IP-1 and CMC-1) was assessed using χ(2) test.

Automatic radiographic quantification of hand osteoarthritis; accuracy and sensitivity to change in joint space width in a phantom and cadaver study.

Objective: To validate a newly developed quantification method that automatically detects and quantifies the joint space width (JSW) in hand radiographs. Repeatability, accuracy and sensitivity to changes in JSW were determined. The influence of joint location and joint shape on the measurements was tested.

Do knee abnormalities visualised on MRI explain knee pain in knee osteoarthritis? A systematic review.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the association between MRI findings (cartilage defects, bone marrow lesions (BML), osteophytes, meniscal lesion, effusion/synovitis, ligamentous abnormalities, subchondral cysts and bone attrition) and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in order to establish the relevance of such findings when assessing an individual patient.

Methods: The Medline, Web of Science, Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases up to March 2010 were searched without language restriction to find publications with data on the association between MRI findings of knee OA (exposure of interest) and knee pain (outcome). The quality of included papers was scored using a predefined criteria set.

Localized development of knee osteoarthritis can be predicted from MR imaging findings a decade earlier.

Purpose: To define localized development of knee osteoarthritis (OA) that arises from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal injuries identified at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging performed a decade ago and the subsequent management of those findings in patients with subacute knee symptoms.

Materials And Methods: The present study was approved by local medical ethics review boards, and written informed consent was obtained. Three hundred twenty-six patients (mean age, 42 years; 108 female) from a previously reported series of 855 patients were followed up with regard to the effect of MR imaging-guided treatment for subacute knee problems.

Pain in hand osteoarthritis is associated with inflammation: the value of ultrasound.

Objectives: To investigate the association of ultrasound (US) features-grey scale (GS) synovitis, synovial thickening, effusion and power Doppler signal (PDS)-with symptoms in hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: Fifty-five consecutive patients (mean age 62 years, 87% women) with HOA, fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria, were assessed for pain upon palpation and filled in Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN) scores, visual analogue scale pain and Short Form-36 (SF-36). US was performed in all metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, distal interphalangeal, first interphalangeal and first carpometacarpal joints, and features were semiquantitatively scored (0-3).

Structural changes in muscle and glenohumeral joint deformity in neonatal brachial plexus palsy.

Background: Internal rotation contracture of the shoulder is common in children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy. A long-standing contracture may cause osseous deformities in the developing shoulder. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between osseous deformities of the glenohumeral joint and structural differences due to muscle denervation in the rotator cuff muscles.

Interleukin-1 gene cluster variants with innate cytokine production profiles and osteoarthritis in subjects from the Genetics, Osteoarthritis and Progression Study.

Objective: To assess whether genetic variation in the interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene cluster contributes to familial osteoarthritis (OA) by influencing innate ex vivo production of IL-1beta or IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra).

Methods: Innate ex vivo IL-1beta and IL-1Ra production upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of whole blood cells was measured in subjects from the Genetics, Osteoarthritis and Progression (GARP) Study, which includes sibling pairs in which at least one sibling has symptomatic OA at multiple sites. Radiographic OA (ROA) was assessed by Kellgren/Lawrence score.

Positive association between increased popliteal artery vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis: is OA also part of the metabolic syndrome?

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if a positive association exists between arterial vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis (OA). Our hypothesis is that generalized OA is another facet of the metabolic syndrome.

Materials And Methods: The medical ethical review board of our institution approved the study.

Reliability of cluster results for different types of time adjustments in complex disease research.

We aim to identify subtypes of diseases like Osteoarthritis (OA) and Parkinson's Disease (PD) that present clinical heterogeneity. We do so by searching for homogeneous clusters in values of markers that reflect the severity of the disease. In the current paper we consider two important items for a cluster analysis.

Changes in outcome measures for impairment, activity limitation, and participation restriction over two years in osteoarthritis of the lower extremities.

Objective: To describe changes in outcome measures in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) over 2 years according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, and to evaluate the sensitivity to change of available outcome instruments.

Methods: A total of 115 symptomatic knee or hip OA patients (mean age 60.0 years, 80% women) were followed for 2 years.

Do MRI features at baseline predict radiographic joint space narrowing in the medial compartment of the osteoarthritic knee 2 years later?

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to relate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features at baseline with radiographically determined joint space narrowing (JSN) in the medial compartment of the knee after 2 years in a group of patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis at multiple joint sites.

Materials And Methods: MRI of the knee and standardized radiographs were obtained at baseline and after 2 years in 186 patients (81% female; aged 43-76 years; mean 60 years). MRI was analyzed for bone marrow lesions, cysts, osteophytes, hyaline cartilage defects, joint effusion, and meniscal pathology in the medial compartment.

Bone marrow edema-like lesions change in volume in the majority of patients with osteoarthritis; associations with clinical features.

It has been suggested that bone marrow edema-like (BME) lesions in the knee are associated with progression of osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of our study in patients with OA was to evaluate prospectively changes of BME lesions over 2 years and their relationship with clinical features. Magnetic resonance (MR) images of the knee were obtained from 182 patients (20% male; aged 43-76 years; mean age 59 years) who had been diagnosed with familial symptomatic OA at multiple joint sites.

Esophageal adenocarcinoma: a long-term complication of congenital diaphragmatic hernia?

A 22-year-old man presented with a lower esophageal adenocarcinoma having been treated for a left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) as a neonate. There is no known association or similar case reported in the literature. We review the known long-term sequelae of CDH, possible theories for the occurrence of adenocarcinoma, and its implications for follow-up of patients with CDH.

Influence of familial factors on radiologic disease progression over two years in siblings with osteoarthritis at multiple sites: a prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Objective: The contribution of genetics to osteoarthritis (OA) progression is not known. To gain more insight into whether familial factors play a role in disease progression of OA, we analyzed familial aggregation of radiologic OA progression in a study of sibling pairs (the Genetics, Arthrosis, and Progression [GARP] study).

Methods: A total of 105 white probands and their 105 siblings with OA at multiple joint sites were included in a prospective cohort study.

Research in hand osteoarthritis: time for reappraisal and demand for new strategies. An opinion paper.

Background: Osteoarthritis of the hands is a prevalent musculoskeletal disease with a considerable effect on patients' lives, but knowledge and research results in the field of hand osteoarthritis are limited. Therefore, the Disease Characteristics in Hand OA (DICHOA) initiative was founded in early 2005 with the aim of addressing key issues and facilitating research into hand osteoarthritis.

Objective: To review and discuss current knowledge on hand osteoarthritis with regard to aetiopathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, biomarkers and clinical outcome measures.

Assessing bone loss on radiographs of the knee in osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: The only established system to grade subchondral bone attrition in knee osteoarthritis (OA) has low interobserver reliability. In this study, our aim was to convert this system into a reliable tool for the assessment of subchondral bone loss in knee OA.

Methods: Templates that were designed to outline the normal contours of the knee were overlaid onto conventional radiographs of a random sample of 100 knees of OA patients who were awaiting total knee replacement (TKR).

The relationship between the MRI features of mild osteoarthritis in the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral compartments of the knee.

The aim of this work was to demonstrate the relationship between osteoarthritic changes seen on magnetic resonance (MR) images of the patellofemoral (PF) or tibiofemoral (TF) compartments in patients with mild osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. MR images of the knee were obtained in 105 sib pairs (210 patients) who had been diagnosed with OA at multiple joints. Entry criteria included that the degree of OA in the knee examined should be between a Kellgren and Lawrence score of 2 or 3.