Management of hand osteoarthritis: from an US evidence-based medicine guideline to a European patient-centric approach.

Hand osteoarthritis is the most common joint condition and is associated with significant morbidity. It is of paramount importance that patients are thoroughly assessed and examined when complaining of hand stiffness, pain, deformity or disability and that the patient's concerns and expectations are addressed by the healthcare professional. In 2019 the American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation (ACR/AF) produced guidelines which included recommendations for the treatment of hand osteoarthritis.

Risk Factors, Manifestation, and Awareness of Osteoporosis among Patients of Various Specialists in Switzerland: Results of a National Survey.

Osteoporosis is the most common chronic metabolic bone disease, known to be underdiagnosed and undertreated in parts of the Swiss population. Due to expected rise in new fragility fractures, adequate awareness of associated risk factors and diagnostic and therapeutic options will be essential for the management of osteoporosis. We therefore explored these aspects in a nationwide survey of Swiss specialists and their patients.

Fracture Risk Following an Atypical Femoral Fracture.

Atypical femoral fractures (AFFs) occurring during the course of osteoporosis treatment usually lead to discontinuation of anti-resorptive (AR) drugs. However, the risk of fracture after an AFF is unknown. We conducted a follow-up study of patients with AFF matched 1:3 for age and gender with patients with a peripheral major osteoporotic fracture (pMOF), in the setting of a fracture liaison service, to investigate the incidence of subsequent low-trauma fractures.

[Romosozumab : a new treatment for severe osteoporosis].

Romosozumab is a monoclonal antibody against sclerostin. Its dual effect on bone is to increase formation and decrease resorption. Sub-cutaneous injections of romosozumab are administered monthly for one year and must be relayed with a bone resorption inhibitor.

[Osteoporosis: Novel drug, new recommendations].

New recommendations from the Swiss Association against Osteoporosis (SVGO) concerning fracture risk stratification and treatment delineate two new risk categories : very high risk (FRAX 10-years probability of fracture at least 20 % above the usual intervention threshold) and imminent risk (major osteoporotic fracture in the last 2 years). In these patients, parenteral therapies are recommended first. Among them, romosozumab is now available in Switzerland and is indicated for 1 year in absence of cardiovascular contra-indications, followed by an anti-resorptive.

[How to manage the rebound effect at denosumab discontinuation and avoid multiple vertebral fractures?].

Denosumab discontinuation is associated with a severe rebound effect combining elevation of bone remodeling markers for two years and loss of the gained bone density. In the absence of a potent bisphosphonate prescription at denosumab discontinuation, multiple vertebral fractures are frequent. The median number of vertebral fractures is 5, within 7 to 20 months (median 11) after the last denosumab injection.

[Patients with imminent fracture risk : which consequences for their management ?].

Irrespective of their age, patients with recent fragility fracture have an increased risk of recurrence : this is the imminent fracture risk of multiple origins. As well the vertebral than the non-vertebral fractures are equally predictive of an increased and early fracture risk. Therefore, a fragility fracture is a strong signal for the clinicians to introduce a treatment against osteoporosis.

[Osteoporosis].

The risk for a second fracture within two years after a first one is high. Ten years denosumab treatment show favorable results with a risk of early vertebral fractures in patients with prevalent vertebral fractures when treatment is stopped. Teriparatide is more effective than risedronate to prevent vertebral and clinical fractures in high risk patients.

Osteoporosis drug treatment: duration and management after discontinuation. A position statement from the SVGO/ASCO.

Antiosteoporotic drugs are recommended in patients with fragility fractures and in patients considered to be at high fracture risk on the basis of clinical risk factors and/or low bone mineral density. As first-line treatment most patients are started with an antiresorptive treatment, i.e.

[To where and until when handle the osteoporosis?].

Estrogen replacement therapy, selective modulators of the estrogen receptor (SERMs), bisphophonates and denosumab are antiresorptive therapies which can be used for several years. Teriparatide is still the only bone forming agent available, its use is limited to 24 months. Except the absence of new fragility fractures, there is no well defined target in the treatment of osteoporosis.

[Osteoporosis].

After one year of treatment with denosumab, the incidence of fracture is lower in patients previously treated one year with romosozumab as compared with placebo. Cessation of denosumab injections is followed by a rebound of bone resorption, a decrease of bone mineral density and increased risk of multiple vertebral fractures. For safety reasons, odanacatib, an inhibitor of cathepsine K and consecutively of bone resorption will not be available.

Retrospective evaluation of serum CTX levels after denosumab discontinuation in patients with or without prior exposure to bisphosphonates.

Unlabelled: Discontinuation of denosumab (Dmab) therapy is associated with lower serum CTX levels in osteoporotic patients previously exposed to bisphosphonates compared to those who were not.

Introduction: Discontinuation of Dmab therapy is followed by a transient increase of bone turnover markers (BTMs) above pretreatment values, together with accelerated bone loss, and potentially an increased risk of multiple vertebral fractures. Since a substantial proportion of patients discontinuing Dmab have previously been exposed to bisphosphonates (BPs), we hypothesized that previous BP therapy could attenuate this increase in bone turnover because of the prolonged biological effects of BPs on bone.

Effects of bariatric surgery on bone.

Bariatric surgery currently relies on combinations of restrictive and malabsorptive procedures. Early decreases in bone mineral density (BMD) have been reported. However, the accuracy of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry used to measure BMD can be diminished by the major weight loss, whereas quantitative computed tomography (QCT) measurements are less affected.

[Bone diseases].

Calcium intake shows a small impact on bone mineral density and fracture risk. Denosumab is a more potent inhibitor of bone resorption than zoledronate. Abaloparatide, PTHrP analog, increases bone mineral density and decreases fracture incidence.

[Osteoporosis].

Bone events related to bariatric surgery remain controversial. Denosumab, used in osteoporosis treatment, is safe and efficient. Romosozumab, an antibody raised against sclerostin, is a promising bone anabolic agent.

[Use of NSAIDs in traumatology].

In traumatology, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used, due to their efficacy in controlling pain and safety profile. Nonetheless, experimental and retrospective studies about the use of NSAIDs in traumatology raise the question about a possible negative influence on bone remodeling through inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. The results from these studies must be interpreted with caution, as bone repair can be influenced by several parameters.

[Osteoporosis].

The quality of the management of patients with osteoporosis varies by country. The recommendations of the Swiss Association against osteoporosis propose intervention thresholds based on the results of the FRAX tool. Despite increasing number of observational studies with several hundred thousands of patients, it is not possible to conclude to a clear increased risk of cardiovascular disease with calcium intakes.

An unusual case of hypercortisolism with multiple weight-bearing bone fractures.

Glucocorticoid excess, either from exogenous exposure or through endogenous overproduction, is a common cause of secondary osteoporosis. We report a 52-year-old woman presenting with multiple stress fractures of the lower extremities, despite various osteoporosis therapeutic regimens. Investigations led to the diagnosis of hypercortisolism of pituitary origin.

Risks and benefits of percutaneous vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty in the management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Vertebral fracture (VF) is the most common osteoporotic fracture and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Conservative treatment combining antalgic agents and rest is usually recommended for symptomatic VFs. The aim of this paper is to review the randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy and safety of percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) and percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty (KP) versus conservative treatment.

In vivo evaluation of centrifugal blood pump for cardiopulmonary bypass-Spiral Pump.

The Spiral Pump (SP), a centrifugal blood pump for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), has been developed at the Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology/Adib Jatene Foundation laboratories, with support from Sintegra Company (Pompeia, Brazil). The SP is a disposable pump with an internal rotor-a conically shaped fuse with double entrance threads. This rotor is supported by two ball bearings, attached to a stainless steel shaft fixed to the housing base.

In vitro assessment of the Apico Aortic Blood Pump: anatomical positioning, hydrodynamic performance, hemolysis studies, and analysis in a hybrid cardiovascular simulator.

The Apico Aortic Blood Pump (AABP) is a centrifugal continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) with ceramic bearings. The device is in the initial development phase and is being designed to be attached directly to the left ventricular apex by introducing an inlet cannula. This paper reports results from in vitro experiments.

Study of a centrifugal blood pump in a mock loop system.

An implantable centrifugal blood pump (ICBP) is being developed to be used as a ventricular assist device (VAD) in patients with severe cardiovascular diseases. The ICBP system is composed of a centrifugal pump, a motor, a controller, and a power supply. The electricity source provides power to the controller and to a motor that moves the pump's rotor through magnetic coupling.