Italian double-blind multicenter study comparing S-adenosylmethionine, naproxen, and placebo in the treatment of degenerative joint disease.

In a double-blind study, the efficacy and tolerability of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) were evaluated in comparison with those of placebo and naproxen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, spine, and hand. Thirty-three centers, 18 rheumatologic and 15 orthopedic, participated in this study. A total of 734 subjects, including 582 with coxarthrosis (hip osteoarthritis) or gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis), were enrolled.

Ultrasonography in the early diagnosis of congenital dysplasia of the hip.

The authors discuss the feasibility of using ultrasonography in the early diagnosis of congenital dysplasia of the hip. Having used the methods of Graf and Harcke, they devised a new scan which always reveals the state of the limbus in neonatal congenital dysplasia. This has been used for two years as an additional technique in neonates with a positive Ortolani click to demonstrate the presence of an inverted limbus, which is not revealed in the Graf and Harcke scans although they give a very good overall picture of the femoral head and acetabulum.

Scintigraphy with Tc99m-MDP in the diagnosis of stress lesions in bone.

Scintigraphy with Technetium methylene diphosphate gives a positive result in bone tissue in a state of raised metabolic activity. This can be used in the diagnosis of mechanical stress lesions in bone. The authors present several clinical examples confirming the usefulness of this method.