Treatment with teriparatide (rDNA origin) injection {teriparatide, recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34) [rhPTH(1-34)]}reduces the risk of vertebral and nonvertebral fragility fractures and increases cancellous bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, but its effects on cortical bone are less well established. This cross-sectional study assessed parameters of cortical bone quality by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) in the nondominant distal radius of 101 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who were randomly allocated to once-daily, self-administered subcutaneous injections of placebo (n ‫؍‬ 35) or teriparatide 20 g (n ‫؍‬ 38) or 40 g (n ‫؍‬ 28). We obtained measurements of moments of inertia, bone circumferences, bone mineral content, and bone area after a median of 18 months of treatment. The results were adjusted for age, height, and weight. Compared with placebo, patients treated with teriparatide 40 g had significantly higher total bone mineral content, total and cortical bone areas, periosteal and endocortical circumferences, and axial and polar cross-sectional moments of inertia. Total bone mineral content, total and cortical bone areas, periosteal circumference, and polar cross-sectional moment of inertia were also significantly higher in the patients treated with teriparatide 20 g compared with placebo. There were no differences in total bone mineral density, cortical thickness, cortical bone mineral density, or cortical bone mineral content among groups. In summary, once-daily administration of teriparatide induced beneficial changes in the structural architecture of the distal radial diaphysis consistent with increased mechanical strength without adverse effects on total bone mineral density or cortical bone mineral content.

Background: The early months of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City led to a rapid transition of non-essential in-person health care, including outpatient arthroplasty visits, to a telemedicine context. Questions/Purposes: Based on our initial experiences with telemedicine in an outpatient arthroplasty setting, we sought to determine early lessons learned that may be applicable to other providers adopting or expanding telemedicine services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed by surveying all patients undergoing telemedicine visits with 8 arthroplasty surgeons at 1 orthopedic specialty hospital in New York City from April 8 to May 19, 2020. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic data, satisfaction with the telemedicine visit, and positive and negative takeaways. Results: In all, 164 patients completed the survey. The most common reasons for the telemedicine visit were short-term (less than 6 months), postoperative appointment ( n = 88; 54%), and new patient consultation ( n = 32; 20%). A total of 84 patients (51%) noted a reduction in expenses versus standard outpatient care. Several positive themes emerged from patient feedback, including less anxiety and stress related to traveling ( n = 82; 50%), feeling more at ease in a familiar environment ( n = 54; 33%), and the ability to assess postoperative home environment ( n = 13; 8%). However, patients also expressed concerns about the difficulty addressing symptoms in the absence of an in-person examination ( n = 28; 17%), a decreased sense of interpersonal connection with the physician ( n = 20; 12%), and technical difficulties ( n = 14; 9%). Conclusions: Patients were satisfied with their telemedicine experience during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, we identified several areas amenable to improvement. Further study is warranted.

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