PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Lateral wedge insoles not associated with improvement of knee pain in osteoarthritis

2013-08-21
(Press-News.org) Although a pooling of data from 12 studies showed a statistically significant association between use of lateral wedge insoles and lower pain in medial knee osteoarthritis, among trials comparing wedge insoles with neutral insoles, there was no significant or clinically important association between use of wedge insoles and reduction in knee pain, according to a study in the August 21 issue of JAMA.

"Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common painful chronic disease whose prevalence is increasing and for which there are few efficacious treatment options. The increase in rates of knee replacement for osteoarthritis has made the identification of effective nonsurgical treatments a high priority. Medial osteoarthritis is one of the most common subtypes of knee osteoarthritis. One type of treatment for medial knee osteoarthritis involves reducing medial (inner) loading to ease the physical stress applied to that compartment of the joint. The wedge is placed under the sole of the foot and angulated so that it is thicker over the lateral than the medial edge, transferring loading during weight bearing from the medial to the lateral knee compartment," according to background information in the study. However, studies examining knee pain following treatment have shown inconsistent findings.

Matthew J. Parkes, B.Sc., of the University of Manchester, England, and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of lateral wedge treatments (shoes and insoles designed to reduce medial knee compartment loading) in reducing knee pain in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis. The authors conducted a search of the medical literature to identify randomized trials that compared shoe-based treatments (lateral heel wedge insoles or shoes with variable stiffness soles) aimed at reducing medial knee load, with a neutral or no wedge control condition. The wedge needed to be of 5° to 15° of angulation, which is a level shown in previous studies to reduce external knee adduction moment (torque). Studies must have included patient-reported pain as an outcome. Twelve trials met inclusion criteria with a total of 885 participants of whom 502 received lateral wedge treatment.

The researchers found, when considering all 12 trials, the overall effect estimate was a standard mean difference in pain between interventions that showed a moderately significant effect of a lateral wedge on pain reduction. However, the findings were highly heterogeneous across studies. Larger trials with a lower risk of bias suggested a null association.

When trials were grouped according to the control group treatment, the authors found that compared with neutral inserts, lateral wedges had no association with knee pain and heterogeneity was much lower across trial findings.

"These results suggest that compared with control interventions, lateral wedges are not efficacious for the treatment of knee pain in persons with medial knee osteoarthritis." ### (JAMA. 2013;310(7):722-730; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)

Editor's Note: This review was funded by a special strategic award grant from Arthritis Research UK. Drs. LaValley and Felson are supported by a grant from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, etc.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Study examines genetic associations for gastrointestinal condition in infants

2013-08-21
Researchers have identified a new genome-wide significant locus (the place a gene occupies on a chromosome) for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS), a serious gastrointestinal condition associated with gastrointestinal obstruction, according to a study in the August 21 issue of JAMA. Characteristics of this locus also suggest the possibility of an inverse relationship between levels of circulating cholesterol in neonates and IHPS risk. "Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is the leading cause of gastrointestinal obstruction in the first months of life, ...

Study shows gypsum wallboard does not keep out carbon monoxide

2013-08-21
"Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a significant U.S. health problem, responsible for approximately 500 accidental deaths annually, and a risk of 18 percent to 35 percent for cognitive brain injury 1 year after poisoning. Most morbidity and mortality from CO poisoning is believed to be preventable through public education and CO alarm use. States have been enacting legislation mandating residential CO alarm installation. However, as of December 2012, 10 of the 25 states with statutes mandating CO alarms exempted homes without fuel-burning appliances or attached garages, ...

How sleep helps brain learn motor task

2013-08-21
You take your piano lesson, you go to sleep and when you wake up your fingers are better able to play that beautiful sequence of notes. How does sleep make that difference? A new study helps to explain what happens in your brain during those fateful, restful hours when motor learning takes hold. "The mechanisms of memory consolidations regarding motor memory learning were still uncertain until now," said Masako Tamaki, a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University and lead author of the study that appears Aug. 21 in the Journal of Neuroscience. "We were trying to figure ...

English stop smoking services have helped 20,000 to quit, but much variation exists

2013-08-21
Stop smoking services across England have had an increasing impact in helping smokers to quit in their first 10 years of operation and have successfully reached disadvantaged groups, finds a study published on bmj.com today. However, performance across local services has varied considerably and requires attention, say the authors. In 1998, the UK government established a network of stop smoking services to ensure that every smoker in the country who wanted help with stopping would have access to evidence-based support as well as medication. Other countries have since ...

Appetite hormone misfires in obese people

2013-08-21
Chevy Chase, MD—Glucagon, a hormone involved in regulating appetite, loses its ability to help obese people feel full after a meal, but it continues to suppress hunger pangs in people with type 1 diabetes, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). The primary role of glucagon, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, is to signal the body to release stored glucose when blood sugar falls too low. But growing evidence suggests the hormone also may play a role in controlling food intake ...

Gestational diabetes tied to 7-fold increase in sleep apnea risk

2013-08-21
Chevy Chase, MD—Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes are nearly seven times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than other pregnant women, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Gestational diabetes causes glucose levels in the bloodstream to rise above normal levels. This form of diabetes occurs during pregnancy, typically in the second trimester. Between four and eight of every 100 pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes. The new study ...

Women who receive midwife care throughout their pregnancy and birth have better outcomes

2013-08-21
Maternity care that involves a midwife as the main care provider leads to better outcomes for most women, according to a systematic review published in The Cochrane Library. Researchers found that women who received continued care throughout pregnancy and birth from a small group of midwives were less likely to give birth pre-term and required fewer interventions during labour and birth than when their care was shared between different obstetricians, GPs and midwives. In many countries, including the UK and Australia, midwives act as the main providers of care for women ...

Peering into the heart of aquatic embryo development

2013-08-21
Scientists using a pioneering bio-imaging system to record simultaneously the development of hundreds of aquatic embryos have discovered significant parent-offspring similarities in the timing and sequence of that development. Researchers at Plymouth University have found the timing of key developmental milestones – such as the first beating of the heart, formation of the eyes and movement – differs markedly between individuals in a species of aquatic snail, but also that these timings appear to be heritable, i.e. they are passed from mother to offspring. The study, made ...

Frontiers news briefs: August 20

2013-08-21
Frontiers in Plant Science Transgenic bacteria shed light on symbiotic exchanges within the soil Adding light-producing bacteria to soil can be a powerful method for tracking in real time how plant roots provide soil bacteria with carbohydrates, according to a new study in Frontiers in Plant Science. Soil bacteria rely for their growth on compounds released from plant roots in the form of excretions and sloughed-off cells, while bacteria often make scarce nutrients available to roots in exchange. For the first time, researchers from Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory ...

First pre-clinical gene therapy study to reverse Rett symptoms

2013-08-21
The concept behind gene therapy is simple: deliver a healthy gene to compensate for one that is mutated. New research published today in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests this approach may eventually be a feasible option to treat Rett Syndrome, the most disabling of the autism spectrum disorders. Gail Mandel, Ph.D., a Howard Hughes Investigator at Oregon Health and Sciences University, led the study. The Rett Syndrome Research Trust, with generous support from the Rett Syndrome Research Trust UK and Rett Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation, funded this work through ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] Lateral wedge insoles not associated with improvement of knee pain in osteoarthritis