Physician Notifications Improve Postfracture Care For Patients
A simple physician notification system can help prevent further fractures in osteoporotic patients who have had already had fractures, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Patients who have had a major fracture because of osteoporosis do not undergo testing for bone mineral density or receive medications to help prevent additional fractures. Recent 2010 Canadian clinical practice guidelines for osteoporosis care noted this "care gap" for patients at risk of additional fractures.
Unprecedented International Effort To Improve Safety Of Orthopedic Devices
Responding to a need for better post-market surveillance of orthopedic devices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established the International Consortium of Orthopaedic Registries (ICOR) in October 2010. As outlined in a Dec. 21 special online supplement in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, ICOR is in the process of developing a collaborative process for improving the safety of orthopedic devices using outcomes registries from the U.S. and other countries. The combined ICOR registries may include data on millions of orthopedic surgical procedures and all implantable devices on the market.
Intestine Crucial To Function Of Immune Cells, Research Shows
Researchers at the University of Toronto have found an explanation for how the intestinal tract influences a key component of the immune system to prevent infection, offering a potential clue to the cause of autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. "The findings shed light on the complex balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the gut, " said Prof. Jennifer Gommerman, an Associate Professor in the Department of Immunology at U of T, whose findings were published online by the scientific journal, Nature.