Osteoporosis
UK reform essential in care of people with arthritis
Widespread reform is needed to enable high quality care planning for people in the UK with long-term conditions, such as arthritis, says a Health Committee report. The settings discussed include home, hospitals and specialist care.
Services for rheumatology patients should be maintained across all settings and cannot simply be moved into the community, according to evidence submitted to the Health Committee by The British Society for Rheumatology. The report reads: Continue reading
Vitamin D and calcium supplements: call for consistent dosage recommendations
There is a need for clear international consensus on how much calcium and vitamin D is suitable for older women to take when looking to improve their bone health.
A study published in Menopause looked at 163 women between 57 years and 90 years whose vitamin D levels were too low. They were given calcium citrate tablets to meet their recommended intake of 1,200mg per day, as well as doses of vitamin D ranging from 400 to 4,800 international units daily. Continue reading
Prioritise treatment of musculoskeletal conditions to save healthcare costs later
Policy makers should prioritise musculoskeletal conditions to reduce their impact on healthcare expenditure, says a study presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress.
Healthcare costs are estimated to be almost 50% higher for people with a musculoskeletal condition compared to any other singly occurring condition. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and lower back pain are the most common musculoskeletal conditions. Continue reading
New study highlights bone density benefits of denosumab
A drug called denosumab increases bone mineral density and decreases bone turnover in women – great news for those at high risk of fractures, says research published in Osteoporosis.
Canadian scientists divided 17,000 women aged 55 years or older who had failed to benefit from treatment with bisphosphonates due to issues with adherence into two groups.
One group was given an injection of denosumab (60mg) every six months. The others took 150mg of an oral bisphosphonate (ibandronate or risedronate) every month for one year. Continue reading
Melatonin supplements may help strengthen the bones, new study suggests
Melatonin supplements could help strengthen the bones of older people, says a new international study published in Rejuvenation Research.
We already know that melatonin, an antioxidant made by a small gland in the brain, regulates bone mass. But until now, little research has been done into the link.
So scientists looked at the effects of melatonin supplements on the bones of older rats. They found that rats given melatonin for 10 weeks (which equates to about six years in humans) had higher bone volume and density (so were less likely to break or fracture) than rats not given supplements. Continue reading
