(Press-News.org) CLEVELAND, Ohio (May 5, 2021)--Vitamin D is a critical part of a healthy diet. Among other benefits, it has been shown to protect against bone disease and maintain soft tissue health. A new study suggests that it may also play a role in the degree of postoperative pain postmenopausal women experience after undergoing total knee replacement. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
Vitamin D deficiency is a major issue globally. It is estimated that 60% of adults have insufficient levels of the bone-building vitamin. Estrogen deficiency in perimenopausal women has been associated with decreased levels of vitamin D. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of sun exposure have also been shown to contribute to vitamin D deficiency in perimenopausal women.
In this new study, researchers sought to investigate the effect of vitamin D levels on function outcomes and risk factors of moderate to severe pain in postmenopausal women after total knee replacement. The procedure is frequently recommended for treating advanced knee osteoarthritis when nonsurgical treatment is no longer effective. Although the procedure is safe, many women experience postoperative pain.
Previous studies have sought to identify factors that play a role in determining the amount of pain women feel after undergoing knee replacement surgery. Among other factors, these studies pinpointed postmenopausal status and low estrogen levels as being associated with joint paint primarily in women aged 50 to 59 years. This new study suggests a link between vitamin D deficiency and a greater risk of postoperative pain. It identified vitamin D deficiency, smoking, and a high body mass index (BMI) as independent risk factors for moderate to severe pain after knee replacement surgery.
The new study additionally found that there was a high prevalence (67.3%) of vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal women scheduled for total knee replacement. These study results are in line with previous studies that suggested that vitamin D deficiency is associated with the development of osteoarthritis, as well as muscle cramps, bone pain, walking difficulty, decreased bone mineral density, and fractures. The results of studies like these could provide valuable insights to clinicians evaluating postmenopausal women before major joint surgeries.
Results are published in the article "Effects of preoperative serum vitamin D levels on early clinical function outcomes and the moderate-to-severe pain prevalence in postmenopausal women after primary total knee arthroplasty."
"This study found that high body mass index, smoking, and vitamin D deficiency were independent risk factors for moderate to severe postoperative pain after knee replacement in postmenopausal women. Additionally, those with preoperative vitamin D deficiency had poorer functional outcomes. These findings highlight opportunities for clinicians to address these modifiable factors before postmenopausal women undergo joint replacement surgeries," says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.
INFORMATION:
For more information about menopause and healthy aging, visit http://www.menopause.org.
Founded in 1989, The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is North America's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life of all women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. Its multidisciplinary membership of 2,000 leaders in the field--including clinical and basic science experts from medicine, nursing, sociology, psychology, nutrition, anthropology, epidemiology, pharmacy, and education--makes NAMS uniquely qualified to serve as the definitive resource for health professionals and the public for accurate, unbiased information about menopause and healthy aging. To learn more about NAMS, visit http://www.menopause.org.
A new study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology ¬provides insights on how common hospitalized patients develop liver injury from taking different medications.
When investigators analyzed the records of 156,570 hospitalized patients, they found 499 cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), for an incidence of 0.32%. Anti-infective agents, cancer medications, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the major categories of drugs causing DILI, and the highest incidence was due to voriconazole (an antifungal medication). Patients with high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, ...
A new study published in Arthritis Care & Research indicates that few individuals with the autoimmune disease lupus who were publicly insured through Medicaid received recommended vaccines in 2000-2010. Also, those who were unvaccinated needed more acute care for vaccine-preventable illnesses.
From 2000-2010, there were 1,290 patients who visited the emergency department or were hospitalized for vaccine-preventable illness, and 93% of these visits occurred in patients without billing codes for related vaccinations. Patients who were Black had a 22% higher risk of needing such care than those who were white.
"These episodes represent missed opportunities to deliver essential ...
Untreated mental health disorders can be a serious problem for women and their children during pregnancy and after giving birth, during the postpartum period. A recent analysis funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and published in Psychiatric Research & Clinical Practice notes that few studies have examined the benefits of medications for mental health disorders in pregnant and postpartum women. And while many studies have reported on potential harms, the large majority could not separate the effect of medications from the effect of the underlying disorder. As a result, it ...
Investigators found similarities in the bacterial composition of the mouth among patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and those at risk of developing the disease, compared with healthy individuals who were not at risk. The findings come from a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Patients and at-risk individuals had an increased relative abundance of potentially pro- inflammatory bacteria in the mouth, suggesting a possible link between oral microbes and rheumatoid arthritis.
"Prevotella and Veillonella--both gram-negative anaerobes--were at higher relative abundance in saliva, and ...
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a medication used to stimulate the production of new red blood cells, which is impaired in individuals with kidney failure. Unfortunately, however, the treatment may increase the risk of hip fractures.
In an analysis published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research that examined 1997-2013 records from two large U.S. databases, investigators found that EPO doses administered to patients with kidney failure on hemodialysis fluctuated widely over time, and hip fracture rates closely tracked the average dose of EPO doses used in patients.
"Patients with renal failure can benefit from EPO treatment; however, as with all medications, ...
Virtual care provided through telephone or videoconference has been broadly implemented in recent months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new analysis of published studies has examined the accuracy and reliability of virtual compared with in-person cognitive assessments for diagnosing dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
The analysis, which is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, included 121 studies. Three studies comparing videoconference with in-person cognitive assessments demonstrated good reliability and accuracy of virtual cognitive assessments in diagnosing dementia. Investigators ...
An analysis of published studies indicates that Twitter may be a useful learning tool in dental education.
The analysis, which is published in the Journal of Dental Education, included 7 studies. Studies indicated that the real-time question and answer sessions using Twitter work well in an educational setting. Also, the semi-anonymous interactions on Twitter can be beneficial for students unwilling to speak in front of their peers. Twitter can also make lectures more engaging, and it can be used to ask questions that assess student comprehension.
The ...
A new study provides a profile of teachers around the world who provide English Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education, in which the English language is used to teach academic subjects (other than English itself) in countries where the first language is not English.
The study, which is published in the END ...
When investigators in the UK recorded the calls of migratory birds called thrushes at night, they found that call rates were up to five times higher over the brightest urban areas compared with darker villages.
The findings, which are published in END ...
To improve our own health and the health of our planet, dietary habits will need to change. Because the composition of an optimal diet changes depending on the combination of location, season, and personalized dietary needs, investigators have built a tool that uses an extensive database of food items, nutrients, and environmental-impacts to develop optimized diets specific to an individual in a given country and month. As described in an article published in the END ...
