Stimulant prescribing for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): what guides clinicians in their choice of an upper limit for dose titration?

OBJECTIVE: There is little evidence to support the current stimulant dose upper limit restrictions in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Within Australasia, there is inconsistency in dose maxima in different jurisdictions. Clinician experience in this area may be worth gauging when trying to improve the understanding of optimal maximal dosing. Our objective was to survey prescribers' experience of whether the current stimulant maximum doses ever conflict with dose optimisation and how such conflicts are managed. METHOD: We conducted an anonymous online survey of health professionals treating children, adolescents and adults with ADHD. RESULTS: Responses were received from 128 prescribers, mainly paediatricians (52%) and adult psychiatrists (39%). The designated maximum dose of stimulant was a constraint to dose optimisation experienced by 91% for the Product Information maxima and 82% for their respective state/territory regulations maxima. When clinically indicated, 72% would exceed the designated maxima, either with or without obtaining a second opinion or applying for special authority. Of the remaining 28%, the majority (16%) would opt for polypharmacy, with only two accepting a suboptimal dose. CONCLUSION: The current stimulant dose maxima act as a constraint to stimulant dose optimisation and may promote undertreatment and polypharmacy.

Feasibility of establishing an Australian ACL registry: a pilot study by the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR).

PURPOSE: Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a common and debilitating injury that impacts significantly on knee function and risks the development of degenerative arthritis. The outcome of ACL surgery is not monitored in Australia. The optimal treatment is unknown. Consequently, the identification of best practice in treating ACL is crucial to the development of improved outcomes. The Australian Knee Society (AKS) asked the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) to consider establishing a national ACL registry. As a first step, a pilot study was undertaken by the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) to test the hypothesis that collecting the required information in the Australian setting was possible. METHODS: Surgeons completed an operative form which provided comprehensive information on the surgery undertaken. Patients provided pre- and post-operative questionnaires including the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the Marx Activity Scale (MA Scale). The number of ACL procedures undertaken at each hospital during the recruitment period was compared against State Government Health Department separation data. RESULTS: A total of 802 patients were recruited from October 2011 to January 2013. The overall capture rate for surgeon-derived data was 99%, and the capture rate for the pre-operative patient questionnaire was 97.9%. At 6 months, patient-reported outcomes were obtained from 55% of patients, and 58.5% of patients at 12 months. When checked against State Government Health Department separation data, 31.3% of procedures undertaken at each study hospital were captured in the study. CONCLUSION: It is possible to collect surgeon-derived and pre-operative patient-reported data, following ACL reconstruction in Australia. The need to gain patient consent was a limiting factor to participation. When patients did consent to participate in the study, we were able to capture nearly 100% of surgical procedures. Patient consent would not be an issue in for a national registry where inclusion is automatic unless the patient wishes to opt out. The collection of post-operative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is more problematic, due to an insufficient proportion of individuals providing patient-reported outcomes. Alternative outcome measures are required for an ACL registry in Australia to be successfully implemented. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic, Level III.

Tibial stem tip pain in stemmed revision total knee arthroplasty: treatment with tension band plating.

The use of stemmed modular components in revision total knee arthroplasty has led to increasingly described pain located at the tip of the stem of the implant. This has been described in the literature as being due to the elastic modulus mismatch between the stem tip and the host bone. Current management is re-revision total knee arthroplasty in an attempt to alleviate the mismatch. This case report describes a novel technique using a dynamic compression plate acting as a tension band at the stem tip to successfully treat this condition.

Social and Economic Costs of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Across the Lifespan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the financial and non-financial costs of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) across the lifespan. METHOD: The population costs of ADHD in Australia were estimated for the financial year 2018 to 2019 using a prevalence approach to cost estimation across all ages. Financial (healthcare, productivity, education and justice systems, and deadweight losses) and non-financial costs were measured (Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)). RESULTS: The total social and economic cost of ADHD in 2018 to 2019 were US$12.76 billion (range US$8.40 billion to US$17.44 billion, with per person costs of US$15,664 per year). Productivity costs made up 81% of the total financial costs, followed by deadweight losses (11%), and health system costs (4%). Loss in terms of wellbeing was significant (US$5.31 billion). CONCLUSION: There is a need to raise public awareness of the considerable socioeconomic impact and burden of ADHD in order to drive investment and policy decisions that improve identification and treatment of ADHD.

Surgical repair followed by functional rehabilitation for acute and chronic achilles tendon injuries: excellent functional results, patient satisfaction and no reruptures.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated 46 patients who underwent surgical repair of the Achilles tendon at our institution during a 4.5-year period, followed by early weight bearing, aiming to assess their return to activities, rerupture rate and satisfaction. METHODS: A cohort of 46 patients who underwent Achilles tendon repair at our institution during a 4.5-year period, with a modified triple mini-Becker suture technique, for both acute as well as chronic Achilles tendon ruptures were studied. These patients were reviewed at a minimum of 2.5 years follow up (average 4.5 years ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 years), by chart review and questionnaire, to determine the functional outcome as well as patient satisfaction following an active postoperative protocol involving full weight-bearing ambulation in a controlled ankle motion walker and active stretching, followed by a graduated strengthening programme. RESULTS: We found a very high level of satisfaction, with few minor complications and no reruptures in either the early or the delayed repair groups. CONCLUSION: We believe that surgical repair using this technique associated with an early return to protected full weight-bearing ambulation and an active early rehabilitation programme provides not only excellent functional results, patient satisfaction and a zero rerupture rate, but also much less morbidity in the first 3 months and a quicker overall recovery compared with non-operative treatment.

Assessment of radionuclide arthrography in the evaluation of loosening of knee prostheses.

BACKGROUND: Radionuclide arthrography (RNA) is an established technique in the evaluation of hip prostheses but there is scant literature on its role in knee prostheses and no data specifically related to unicompartmental knee prostheses. We reviewed our experience with radionuclide arthrography in total (TKRs) and unicompartmental (UKRs) knee arthroplasties. METHODS: A retrospective review of 66 consecutive RNA studies that either had direct surgical correlation or arthroscopic assessment in conjunction with at least 12 months of clinical and radiological follow-up. These formed the basis of our case note review. 26 studies had a confirmed diagnosis of prosthetic loosening. RESULTS: By using standardised criteria for diagnosis and an early and late imaging protocol at 30 min and 4 h, RNA had an overall sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 88% for the diagnosis of prosthetic loosening. The individual sensitivities and specificities were 93% and 86% for TKRs and 82% and 92% for UKRs. The technique was unable to detect femoral component loosening unless a long femoral stem was present, although only 8% of episodes of prosthetic loosening did not involve the tibial component. CONCLUSION: Radionuclide arthrography should be considered as a useful diagnostic test for the evaluation of loosening of the tibial component of knee prostheses but requires early and late imaging and close attention to detail to achieve optimal results.

Navicular stress fractures treated with minimally invasive fixation.

BACKGROUND: Stress fractures of the naviculum bone are uncommon injuries occurring predominantly in athletes. These fractures are usually treated nonoperatively with a nonweight bearing cast for a minimum of 6 weeks followed by rehabilitation. Further, there is a paucity of literature on the long term clinical followup of these patients. These fractures do not heal predictably with conservative management, which does not inspire great compliance and their clinical outcome is variable. We report on the outcome of these fractures following early operative intervention by minimally invasive fixation and early weight bearing and rehabilitation. We propose that this is reliable and a successful treatment regimen and its role as the definitive management of this clinical problem should be explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine athletes with ten stress fractures of the navicular treated at our institution between April 1991 and October 2000. The mean age of the patients was 22.8 years (range 18-50 years). All patients were treated by minimally invasive screw fixation and early weight bearing mobilization without a cast. The average followup was 7 years (range 2-11 years). RESULTS: Seven of the nine patients returned to their pre-fracture level of sporting activity at an average of 5 months (range 3-9 months). One patient returned to full sporting activity following a delay of 2 years due to an associated tibial stress fracture and one patient had an unsatisfactory result. Long term review at an average of 7 years showed that six of these eight patients who returned to sports remained symptom free with two patients experiencing minimal intermittent discomfort after prolonged activity. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend percutaneous screw fixation as a reliable, low morbidity procedure allowing early return to full sporting activity without long term complications or recurrences.