Identical LDL-cholesterol lowering but non-identical effects on NF-κB activity: High dose simvastatin vs combination therapy with ezetimibe.

OBJECTIVE: Lowering LDL-cholesterol by statins has been proven to be associated with reduction of proinflammatory regulators e.g. activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. To our knowledge, anti-inflammatory potential of newer cholesterol lowering agents such as ezetimibe is less intensively studied. Therefore we analyzed the effects of equipotent LDL-lowering therapy with simvastatin alone compared to a combination with ezetimibe on NF-κB activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with type 2 diabetes were included in a double-blind, randomized trial receiving either 80 mg simvastatin (sim80; n = 10) or a combination of 10 mg simvastatin and 10 mg ezetimibe (sim10eze10; n = 11) or placebo (n = 9) for eight weeks. NF-κB binding activity and inflammatory markers (IL-6, hsCRP) were analyzed at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment. NF-κB binding activity was analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. IL-6 and hsCRP were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: After eight weeks of treatment LDL-cholesterol was lowered to the same extent in both treatment groups (p = 0.40) but not in placebo. However, patients taking sim80 showed a significant reduction of mononuclear NF-κB binding activity compared to baseline (p = 0.009) while no effect was observed in the sim10eze10 group (p = 0.79). Similar differences in anti-inflammatory effects were also observed when analyzing hsCRP (sim80: p = 0.03; sim10eze10: p = 0.40) and IL-6 levels (sim80: p = 0.15; sim10eze10: p = 0.95). CONCLUSION: High dose simvastatin therapy reduces proinflammatory transcription factor NF-κB binding activity and hsCRP levels, while combination of low dose simvastatin with ezetimibe resulting in a similar LDL-reduction does not affect these inflammatory markers.

Kyphoplasty in patients with multiple myeloma a retrospective comparative pilot study.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study of 73 myeloma patients with painful vertebral lesions compares clinical and radiomorphological outcomes up to 2 years after additional kyphoplasty, radiation therapy or systemic treatment only. METHODS: We assessed pain, disability and radiomorphological parameters by visual analogue scale (VAS 0-100), Oswestry Disability Index and by re-evaluating available follow-up X-rays, respectively, in patients that were treated according to a clinical pathway. RESULTS: After 2 years the VAS score was reduced in all groups by 66 ± 8.2 (kyphoplasty), 35 ± 10.5 (radiation therapy) and 38 ± 20.5 (systemic therapy only). Only after kyphoplasty we observed a significantly reduced Oswestry Disability Index after 1 year (P < 0.001). Vertebral height remained stable after kyphoplasty (P = 0.283), in contrast to a progressive height loss in the other groups (P = 0.013 and P = 0.015 for radiation and systemic therapy only, respectively). Two years after kyphoplasty and radiotherapy the overall vertebral fracture incidence was significantly decreased as compared to the group after systemic therapy only (9.7% of all thoracic and lumbar vertebrae had new vertebral fractures after systemic therapy only, 2% after kyphoplasty (P < 0.001), 4.8% after radiation (P = 0.032)). CONCLUSION: Additional kyphoplasty was more effective than additional radiation or systemic therapy in terms of pain relief, reduction of pain associated disability and reduction of fracture incidence of the entire lumbar and thoracic spine.

Three-year outcomes after kyphoplasty in patients with osteoporosis with painful vertebral fractures.

PURPOSE: Kyphoplasty immediately improves pain and mobility in patients with painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures, but long-term clinical outcomes are still unclear. This controlled trial evaluates pain, mobility and fracture incidence 3 years after kyphoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kyphoplasty was performed in 40 patients with painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures; 20 patients who were selected for kyphoplasty but chose not to undergo the procedure served as controls. All patients received pharmacologic antiosteoporosis treatment, pain medication, and physiotherapy. Pain (visual analog scale of 0-100), mobility (European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study questionnaire score of 0-100), and incident vertebral fractures were assessed at baseline, postprocedurally, and after 12 and 36 months. RESULTS: Pain score improved after kyphoplasty from 73.8 to 55.9 (immediately after kyphoplasty), 55.6 (12 months), and 54.0 (36 months; P < .001). Pain score in the control group changed from 66.4 to 65.7 at 12 months and 64.0 at 36 months (P = .521). The pain score of the kyphoplasty group was significantly improved versus controls after 36 months (P = .023). Mobility score improved after kyphoplasty from 43.8 to 54.2 (immediately after kyphoplasty), 54.5 (12 months), and 54.8 (36 months; P = .0008) and remained increased (P = .308) compared with controls (39.8 immediately after kyphoplasty, 44.3 at 12 months, and 43.6 at 36 months). The incidence of new vertebral fractures after kyphoplasty was significantly reduced versus controls after 3 years (P = .0341). CONCLUSIONS: Kyphoplasty reduces pain and improves mobility as long as 3 years after the procedure. The long-term risk of new vertebral fractures after kyphoplasty of chronically painful vertebral fractures is reduced versus controls.

Transient post-operative thyrotoxicosis after parathyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism are features of chronic renal disease. Although pharmacological options are available, parathyroid surgery remains the treatment of choice in these patients with worsening renal osteodystrophy or hypercalcemia. The development of thyrotoxicosis after parathyroid surgery in these patients has been rarely reported. CASE REPORT: We report a 33 years old woman who developed transient symptomatic thyrotoxicosis following parathyroid surgery for tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Laboratory and imaging studies were consistent with postoperative hyperthyroidism due to thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: Transient hyperthyroidism may occur after parathyroidectomy presumably due to a traumatic thyroiditis as a result of manipulation of the thyroid gland during surgery. As it is transient, thyrostatic therapy is not indicated but patients may require short-term treatment with beta-blockers for symptomatic relief.

Reduction of pain and fracture incidence after kyphoplasty: 1-year outcomes of a prospective controlled trial of patients with primary osteoporosis.

Previously, we reported significantly reduced pain and improved mobility persisting for 6 months after kyphoplasty of chronically painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures in the first prospective controlled trial. Since improvement of spinal biomechanics by restoration of vertebral morphology may affect the incidence of fracture, long-term clinical benefit and thereby cost-effectiveness, here we extend our previous work to assess occurrence of new vertebral fractures and clinical parameters 1 year after kyphoplasty compared with a conservatively treated control group. Sixty patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures due to primary osteoporosis were included: 40 patients were treated with kyphoplasty, 20 served as controls. All patients received standard medical treatment. Morphological characteristics, new vertebral fractures, pain (visual analog scale), physical function [European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study (EVOS) score] (range 0-100 each) and back-pain-related doctors' visits were re-assessed 12 months after kyphoplasty. There were significantly fewer patients with new vertebral fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine, after 12-months, in the kyphoplasty group than in the control group (P=0.0084). Pain scores improved from 26.2 to 44.4 in the kyphoplasty group and changed from 33.6 to 34.3 in the control group (P=0.008). Kyphoplasty treated patients required a mean of 5.3 back-pain-related doctors' visits per patient compared with 11.6 in the control group during 12 months follow-up (P=0.006). Kyphoplasty as an addition to medical treatment and when performed in appropriately selected patients by an interdisciplinary team persistently improves pain and reduces occurrence of new vertebral fractures and healthcare utilization for at least 12 months in individuals with primary osteoporosis.

Treatment of painful vertebral fractures by kyphoplasty in patients with primary osteoporosis: a prospective nonrandomized controlled study.

UNLABELLED: This study investigates the effects of kyphoplasty on pain and mobility in patients with osteoporosis and painful vertebral fractures compared with conventional medical management. INTRODUCTION: Pharmacological treatment of patients with primary osteoporosis does not prevent pain and impaired activity of patients with painful vertebral fractures. Therefore, we evaluated the clinical outcome after kyphoplasty in patients with vertebral fractures and associated chronic pain for >12 months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with primary osteoporosis and painful vertebral fractures presenting for >12 months were included in this prospective, nonrandomized controlled study. Twenty-four hours before performing kyphoplasty, the patients self-determined their inclusion into the kyphoplasty or control group so that 40 patients were treated with kyphoplasty, whereas 20 served as controls. This study assessed changes in radiomorphology, pain visual analog scale (VAS) score, daily activities (European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study [EVOS] score), number of new vertebral fractures, and health care use. Outcomes were assessed before treatment and at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. All patients received standard medical treatment (1g calcium, 1000 IE vitamin D(3), standard dose of oral aminobisphosphonate, pain medication, physical therapy). RESULTS: Kyphoplasty increased midline vertebral height of the treated vertebral bodies by 12.1%, whereas in the control group, vertebral height decreased by 8.2% (p = 0.001). Augmentation and internal stabilization by kyphoplasty resulted in a reduction of back pain. VAS pain scores improved in the kyphoplasty group from 26.2 +/- 2 to 44.2 +/- 3.3 (SD; p = 0.007) and in the control group from 33.6 +/- 4.1 to 35.6 +/- 4.1 (not significant), whereas the EVOS score increased in the kyphoplasty group from 43.8 +/- 2.4 to 54.5 +/- 2.7 (p = 0.031) and in the control group from 39.8 +/- 4.5 to 43.8 +/- 4.6 (not significant). The number of back pain-related doctor visits within the 6-month follow-up period decreased significantly after kyphoplasty compared with controls: mean of 3.3 visits/patient in the kyphoplasty group and a mean of 8.6 visits/patient in the control group (p = 0.0147). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show significantly increased vertebral height, reduced pain, and improved mobility in patients after kyphoplasty. Kyphoplasty performed in appropriately selected osteoporotic patients with painful vertebral fractures is a promising addition to current medical treatment.