Post surgical phone support improves outcome following knee replacement

Telephone support recommended for at-risk patients

2012-02-08

(Press-News.org) SAN FRANCISCO -- Poor emotional health and morbid obesity are associated with less functional gain following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. In the new study, "Can Telephone Support During Post-TKR Rehabilitation Improve Post-op Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial," presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), approximately 180 patients were categorized by gender, body mass index (BMI) and emotional health. Each patient randomly received either emotional telephone support by a trained behavioral specialist, or standard patient care. Telephone support included three phone calls before surgery, one in-person hospital visit, and eight weekly post-operative calls.

Telephone emotional support was well received by all patients. Among high-risk TKR patients, those who received telephone support reported significantly higher post-surgery physical activity and function at six months than those who received standard of care. A tailored, telephone-delivered emotional support program can be helpful in improving activity and function for patients, and especially those at risk for sub-optimal outcome.

### About the AAOS With more than 37,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, (http://www.aaos.org) or (http://www.orthoinfo.org) is the premier not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals, champions the interests of patients and advances the highest quality of musculoskeletal health. Orthopaedic surgeons and the Academy are the authoritative sources of information for patients and the general public on musculoskeletal conditions, treatments and related issues. An advocate for improved care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Initiative (http://www.usbjd.org), the global initiative to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life. The Academy's 2012 Annual Meeting is being held February 7 - 11, 2012 at the San Francisco Moscone Center in San Francisco.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Molecular path from internal clock to cells controlling rest and activity

2012-02-08

PHILADELPHIA – The molecular pathway that carries time-of-day signals from the body's internal clock to ultimately guide daily behavior is like a black box, says Amita Sehgal, PhD, the John Herr Musser Professor of Neuroscience and Co-Director, Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Now, new research from the Sehgal lab is taking a peek inside, describing a molecular pathway and its inner parts that connect the well-known clock neurons to cells governing rhythms of rest and activity in fruit flies. Sehgal is ...

How early breast tumors become deadly: A small group of molecules might hold the answer

2012-02-08

Some early-stage breast cancers are potentially harmless, but others invade surrounding healthy tissue and become deadly. This study has identified a small pattern of molecules that highlights important differences between early-stage breast tumors and invasive, deadly ones. The findings might lead to a way to identify early tumors that will likely become invasive. COLUMBUS, Ohio – Researchers have discovered a restricted pattern of molecules that differentiate early-stage breast tumors from invasive, life-threatening cancer. They also found a similar molecular signature ...

NASA satellite sees tropical storm Cyril a strong, compact storm

2012-02-08

Tropical Storm Cyril was known as "11P" has been strengthening since February 6, and still appears very compact on infrared NASA satellite data. In the morning hours of February 7 (local time Vanuatu) Cyril was located south of the island of Vavau in the Kingdom of Tonga. All warnings for Niue and Tonga have now been cancelled. During the morning hours of February 7, Cyril picked up speed and is moving to the southeast at 28 knots (~32 mph/~52 kph). Cyril's maximum sustained winds were near 45 knots (~52 mph/~83 kph). Those tropical-storm-force winds only extended out ...

44 percent of postmenopausal women with distal radius fracture have low levels of vitamin D

2012-02-08

SAN FRANCISCO – Wrist fractures, also called distal radius fractures (DRF), are among the most common osteoporosis-related fractures occurring on average 15 years earlier than hip fractures. As vitamin D deficiency has recently been linked with muscle weakness, increased fall risks, and bone fractures, investigators sought to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among post menopausal women with DRF. The study, "Hypovitaminosis D in Postmenopausal Women with a Distal Radius Fracture," was presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of ...

NASA sees cyclone Jasmine's power and new eye

2012-02-08

Cyclone Jasmine continues to wind between New Caledonia and Vanuatu and bring cyclone-force winds, heavy rain and very rough surf. NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead early on February 7 and noticed the strongest part of the cyclone was around the center and north and east of the center. Aqua data showed that an eye has developed. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Jasmine on February 7, 2012 at 03:17 UTC (2:17 p.m., Pacific/Noumea local time/Feb 6, 10:17 p.m. EST). Jasmine's strongest thunderstorms ...

Nicaragua, Central America's Top Economy in 2011

2012-02-08

The Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN, for its acronym in Spanish), in a recently published report, stated that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 4.7 percent in 2011, the highest growth rate in the Central American region and well above the Latin America and the Caribbean average of 4.3 percent. Following Nicaragua's growth in 2011 were Costa Rica with a 3.8 percent GDP growth, Guatemala with 3.3 percent, Honduras with 3.2 percent and El Salvador with 1.4 percent. This is the second consecutive year in which Nicaragua leads the region in terms of ...

Rothman at Jefferson researchers find epidural steroid injections do not benefit spine patients

2012-02-08

(PHILADELPHIA) – Researchers at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson examined data on patients being treated for lumbar stenosis and the degenerative spine condition spondylolisthesis and found that patients who received epidural steroid injections (ESI) had a higher rate of crossover to surgery and fared worse in physical health and bodily pain versus those who did not receive ESI, dispelling their pre-study hypothesis. Data for this study was gathered from the database of the prospective, multicenter NIH-funded SPORT (Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial) of surgical ...

Salk scientists use an old theory to discover new targets in the fight against breast cancer

2012-02-08

La Jolla, CA -- Reviving a theory first proposed in the late 1800s that the development of organs in the normal embryo and the development of cancers are related, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have studied organ development in mice to unravel how breast cancers, and perhaps other cancers, develop in people. Their findings provide new ways to predict and personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In a paper published February 3 in Cell Stem Cell, the scientists report striking similarities between genetic signatures found in certain types ...

HostGator Partners with Website Builder BaseKit

2012-02-08

BaseKit, the online website builder, has been launched by HostGator; enabling their SMB's to build and manage their own website with the state of the art technology. The hosting giant, based in Houston, Texas, is offering BaseKit to both new and existing customers. As one of the fastest growing private companies in America, HostGator is always seeking innovative products and services to enrich its customers' experiences and surpass their expectations. BaseKit has received international acclaim as an all-in-one website builder that lets SMB's build a site that "looks ...

NASA's TRMM satellite measures flooding rains from Australia monsoon

2012-02-08

A monsoon trough continues to drench northeastern Australia and NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite measured and calculated the rainfall in the region. Low pressure centers associated with a summer monsoon trough have repeatedly drenched Australia from central Queensland to northern New South Wales. The clockwise rotation of these low pressure centers have continued to pump warm moist air from the Coral Sea over these areas resulting in severe flooding. Thousands of Australians have been displaced by this flooding. A Tropical cyclone called Jasmine ...

Post surgical phone support improves outcome following knee replacement

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: