Tag Archive | Tom Bauer
January 5, 2016  

Ronald W. Lindsey Named Co-Editor of JBJS Case Connector

MarcDr. Lindsey1 Swiontkowski, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS) and Co-Editor of JBJS Case Connector, has announced that, effective January 1, 2016, Ronald W. Lindsey, MD, will join Tom Bauer, MD as Co-Editor of Case Connector. Dr. Swiontkowski will step down from his role as Case Connector Co-Editor but will remain as Editor-in Chief of JBJS. “I am confident that Ron and Tom will help move Case Connector into position as a foremost resource for clinicians seeking guidance and information on rare and unusual conditions from across the globe,” said Dr. Swiontkowski.

Dr. Lindsey is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation at the University of Texas Medical Branch, as well as a former Associate Editor for JBJS. After receiving his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completing an orthopaedic residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Dr. Lindsey pursued several fellowships at prestigious European orthopaedic institutions, including AO and spine fellowships at the University of Basel, and a spine fellowship at the University of Marseilles.

“I look forward to working with Dr. Bauer and the JBJS Case Connector editorial board to continue building a premier online database of peer-reviewed orthopaedic cases and the technology that enables orthopaedists to efficiently filter case information,” said Dr. Lindsey.  “Our goal will always be to assist orthopaedic surgeons in the search for clinical precedents, connections, and trends in their efforts to improve patient care.”

January 29, 2015  

Glucosamine Revisited, Again

Our OrthoBuzz report of the “near-death” of glucosamine/chondroitin may have been premature, according to a recent study published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The randomized, double-blind study assigned 606 patients with knee osteoarthritis and moderate-to-severe pain to receive either glucosamine (500 mg) and chondroitin (400 mg) three times a day, or one daily dose of the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (200 mg).

The study was designed to discern noninferiority between the supplements and celecoxib, and the results over six months showed equivalent benefits in both groups. WOMAC measures of pain decreased by 50.1% in the supplement group and 50.2% in the celecoxib group. Both groups also showed a >50% reduction in the presence of joint swelling, and adverse events were low in both groups.

One thing readers may want to consider when mulling over these results: The study was sponsored by the manufacturer of the glucosamine/chondroitin product used in the trial, and all authors disclosed financial relationships with that manufacturer.

An additional perspective on these and other glucosamine/chondroitin findings comes from JBJS Deputy Editor for Research Tom Bauer, MD, an ultra-marathon runner who’s free of arthritis symptoms and does take glucosamine/chondroitin supplements. Dr. Bauer emphasizes the distinction between preventing osteoarthritis and treating it. “Most published studies in humans, like this recent one, have tested glucosamine/chondroitin in patients with pre-existing osteoarthritis,” he said. “It’s a tall order to expect any oral medication to induce actual restoration of the articular surface, so I’m eager to see a decent chondroprotective study of these supplements in athletes who do not have osteoarthritis.”