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Since screening programs identify only a small proportion of the population as eligible for an intervention, genomic prediction of heritable risk factors could decrease the number needing to be screened by removing individuals at low genetic risk. We therefore tested whether a polygenic risk score for heel quantitative ultrasound speed of sound (SOS)-a heritable risk factor for osteoporotic fracture-can identify low-risk individuals who can safely be excluded from a fracture risk screening program. A polygenic risk score for SOS was trained and selected in 2 separate subsets of UK Biobank (comprising 341,449 and 5,335 individuals). The top-performing prediction model was termed \"gSOS\", and its utility in fracture risk screening was tested in 5 validation cohorts using the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group clinical guidelines (N = 10,522 eligible participants). All individuals were genome-wide genotyped and had measured fracture risk factors. Across the 5 cohorts, the average age ranged from 57 to 75 years, and 54% of studied individuals were women. The main outcomes were the sensitivity and specificity to correctly identify individuals requiring treatment with and without genetic prescreening. The reference standard was a bone mineral density (BMD)-based Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) score. The secondary outcomes were the proportions of the screened population requiring clinical-risk-factor-based FRAX (CRF-FRAX) screening and BMD-based FRAX (BMD-FRAX) screening. gSOS was strongly correlated with measured SOS (r2 = 23.2%, 95% CI 22.7% to 23.7%). Without genetic prescreening, guideline recommendations achieved a sensitivity and specificity for correct treatment assignment of 99.6% and 97.1%, respectively, in the validation cohorts. However, 81% of the population required CRF-FRAX tests, and 37% required BMD-FRAX tests to achieve this accuracy. Using gSOS in prescreening and limiting further assessment to those with a low gSOS resulted in small changes to the sensitivity and specificity (93.4% and 98.5%, respectively), but the proportions of individuals requiring CRF-FRAX tests and BMD-FRAX tests were reduced by 37% and 41%, respectively. Study limitations include a reliance on cohorts of predominantly European ethnicity and use of a proxy of fracture risk. Our results suggest that the use of a polygenic risk score in fracture risk screening could decrease the number of individuals requiring screening tests, including BMD measurement, while maintaining a high sensitivity and specificity to identify individuals who should be recommended an intervention.

Aims Which is the best extensile lateral (ELA) or sinus tarsi (STA) approach for osteosynthesis displaced intraarticular calcaneal fracture (DIACF) is still debatable. The current RCT’s primary objective was to compare the complications incidence after open reduction and internal fixation of DIACFs through STA vs. ELA. The secondary objectives were the differences in intraoperative radiation exposure, time to fracture union, functional and radiological outcomes. Methods Between August 2020 and February 2023, 157 patients with Sanders type II and III fractures were randomly assigned to either ELA (81 patients with 95 fractures) or STA (76 patients with 91 fractures). The primary outcome was the incidence of complications. The secondary outcomes were Böhler’s and Gissane angles angle, fracture union, and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score. Results No statistical differences between both groups regarding basic demographic data, injury characteristics, and fracture classification; however, patients in the STA group were operated upon significantly earlier (4.43 ± 7.37 vs. 7 ± 6.42 days, p  = 0.001). STA’s operative time was significantly shorter (55.83 ± 7.35 vs. 89.66 ± 7.12 min, p  < 0.05), and no statistical difference regarding intraoperative radiation exposure. The time to fracture union was significantly shorter in STA (6.33 ± 0.8 vs. 7.13 ± 0.7 weeks, p  = 0.000). Skin complications (superficial or deep infection) and Subtalar osteoarthritis were significantly higher in ELA (18.9% vs. 3.3%, p  = 0.001) and (32.6% vs. 9.9%, p  = 0.001), respectively. The radiological parameters were significantly better in STA postoperatively and at the last follow up. The AOFAS scores were significantly better in STA (83.49 ± 7.71 vs. 68.62 ± 7.05, respectively, p  = 0.000). Conclusion During osteosynthesis of Sanders type II and III DIACFs, STA is superior to ELA in terms of operating earlier, shorter operative time, fewer complications, and better radiological and functional outcomes.

Background Calcaneal fractures are the most common type of tarsal fractures. The sustentaculum tali (ST) offers anatomical stability in calcaneal fractures, and recently, ST screws have been widely used in their treatment. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy and value of ST screw fixation via a modified sinus tarsi approach (MSTA) for treating displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs). Methods This study enrolled 64 patients (64 feet): 32 patients in the calcaneal locking plate combined with the ST screw group (CLP-STS Group) and 32 patients in the simple calcaneal locking plate internal fixation group (CLP Group). The minimum follow-up duration was 18 months. Ankle function was evaluated using VAS, AOFAS, and Short Form-36 scores. Imaging evaluation included the Böhler angle, Gissane angle, length, height, and width of the calcaneus, and the Böhler angle in both groups 1 year after surgery. Results Functional evaluation revealed that postoperative AOFAS and VAS scores in the CLP-STS Group were significantly better than those in the CLP Group. After surgery, the Böhler angle, Gissane angle, and length, height, and width of the calcaneus were significantly corrected compared to the preoperative values; however, the difference in these indicators between the two groups was not significant. Nevertheless, at the 1-year postoperative follow-up, the calcaneal Böhler angle loss in the CLP-STS Group was significantly better than that in the CLP Group. Conclusion Compared to simple calcaneal locking plate internal fixation, combining the plate with the additionally free ST screw can resolve the limited intraoperative exposure of MSTA, reduce postoperative foot pain in patients, and improve clinical efficacy.

Background Following successful treatment, displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs) necessitate an extensive rehabilitation regimen, significantly influencing functional and socio-economic outcomes. Apart from surgical intervention, the implementation of a comprehensive rehabilitation protocol is crucial to optimize foot stability and functional recovery. The objective of this study is to ascertain the optimal rehabilitation protocol for patients with surgically treated DIACFs, either permissive weight bearing (PWB) or Restricted Weight Bearing, focusing on functional outcomes, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), radiographic parameters, cost-effectiveness, and incidence of complications. Methods Study design: A prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial. Study population: Presence of surgically (extended lateral, sinus tarsi, or percutaneous approach) treated unilateral DIACFs (Sanders type II to IV), aged 18–67 years (labor force). Patients must be able to understand and follow weight bearing instructions. N = 115 patients with DIACFs will be included. Interventions: Patients with DIACFs will be randomly allocated to one of the rehabilitation protocols, either PWB or RWB. Primary outcome measure: Functional outcome, measured with the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Score (AOFAS)). Secondary outcomes: Functional outcome (Maryland Foot Score, MFS), HRQoL (EuroQol-5D, EQ-5D), differences in radiographic parameters, cost-effectiveness, and complications. Nature and extent of burden: The PWB protocol is aimed to be non-inferior to the RWB protocol. Previous analysis of this protocol in other lower extremity fractures has shown a safe complication rate. Follow-up is standardized according to current trauma guidelines, namely at time points 2, 6, 12 weeks, and 6 months. The radiation exposure for both groups will differ from standard care (one extra CT scan of the foot will be made). Therefore, the burden for participants is considered minimal, with no significant health risks. Discussion This study will be the first study to define an optimal rehabilitation regime for surgically treated patients with DIACFs. The limitations of this study include the absence of patient blinding, as this is impossible in rehabilitation. Additionally, the primary outcome measure (AOFAS) has limited validity for DIACFs. However, it is the most commonly used questionnaire in the literature on DIACFs. There is an apparent need since current literature is lacking on this specific topic. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05721378, accepted on February 7, 2023.

Background This randomized controlled trial compared the clinical outcomes and complications of a novel minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis (MIPO) with those of conventional treatment via an extended L-shaped lateral approach for calcaneal fractures. Methods Sixty-four patients with displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures were enrolled. The patients were randomly allocated to receive either MIPO (29 patients) or open reduction and internal fixation via an extended L-shaped lateral approach (35 patients). The same calcaneal plate (AO Synthes, Oberdorf, Switzerland) was used in both groups. The primary clinical outcomes included operative time, VAS postoperatively, and wound healing complications. Secondary clinical outcomes included time to operation, length of incision, postoperative drainage, length of hospital stay, medical expense, AOFAS score, and SF-36 score. Preoperative and postoperative calcaneal height, width, and length, Bohler’s angle, and Gissane’s angle were compared. Results The operative time in the MIPO group was 52.5 ± 11.1 min, which was significantly shorter than 82.8 ± 16.2 min in the conventional treatment group ( P  < 0.001). One week postoperatively, the VAS value was 3.2 ± 1.4 in the MIPO group, which was lower than that in the conventional treatment group, 3.9 ± 1.3 ( P  = 0.038). In the conventional treatment group, 13 of 35 fractures (37.1%) had wound healing problems, whereas this issue occurred in only 2 of 29 fractures (6.7%) in the MIPO group ( P  = 0.004). In the MIPO group, deep and superficial infections occurred in none of the cases and 1 of 29 (3.4%) patients, respectively. Length of incision in the MIPO group was shorter than that in the conventional treatment group (4.2 ± 0.6 vs. 10.9 ± 1.5 cm; P  < 0.001). Hospital stay was 9.7 ± 2.8 days in the MIPO group and 11.7 ± 2.6 days in the conventional treatment group ( P  = 0.004). At the last follow-up, the SF-36 scores and AOFAS scores in the two groups were comparable ( P  > 0.05). The postoperative radiographic data, the Bohler’s angle, Gissane’s angle, and calcaneal height, width, and length in the two groups were comparable ( P  > 0.05). Conclusions Compared with conventional ORIF, the advantages of MIPO are a considerably shortened operating time and hospital stay, decreased postoperative pain, and reduced risk of wound healing complications.

Background The management of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs) remains challenging and controversial. A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare percutaneous reduction, cannulated screw fixation and calcium sulfate cement (PR+CSC) grafting with minimally invasive sinus tarsi approach and plate fixation (MISTA) for treatment of DIACFs. Methods Ultimately, 80 patients with a DIACFs were randomly allocated to receive either PR+CSC ( N  = 42) or MISTA ( N  = 38). Functional outcomes were evaluated using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot scores. Radiological results were assessed using plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans, and postoperative wound-related complications were also recorded. Results The average time from initial injury to operation and the average operation time in the PR+CSC group were both significantly shorter than those in the MISTA group ( p  < 0.05). There were significantly fewer complications in the PR+CSC group than those in the MISTA group (7.1 % vs 28.9 %, p  < 0.001). The calcaneal width immediate postoperatively and at the final follow-up in the MISTA group were obviously improved compared to those in the PR+CSC group ( p  < 0.001). The variables of sagittal motion and hindfoot motion of the AOFAS scoring system in the PR+CSC group were significantly higher than those in the MISTA group ( p  < 0.05). The good and excellent results in the two groups were comparable for Sanders Type-II calcaneal fractures, but the good to excellent rate in the MISTA group was significantly higher for Sanders Type-III fractures ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion The clinical outcomes are comparable between the two minimally invasive techniques in the treatment of Sanders Type-II DIACFs. The PR+CSC grafting is superior to the MISTA in terms of the average time between initial injury and operation, operation time, wound-related complications and subtalar joint activity. However, the MISTA has its own advantages in improving the calcaneal width, providing a more clear visualization and accurate reduction of the articular surface, especially for Sanders Type-III DIACFs. Trial registration ChiCTRIOR16008512 . 21 May 2016.

The prospective, simple randomized study assesses the effect of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (f-ESWT) on pain intensity and calcification size compared to the application of ultrasound physical therapy in treating patients with calcar calcanei. A total of 124 patients diagnosed with calcar calcanei were consecutively included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=62), which included the patients treated with f-ECWT, and the control group (n=62), consisting of patients treated with the standard ultrasound therapy method. The experimental group’s patients received ten therapy applications spaced seven days apart. The patients in the control group had ten ultrasound treatments on ten consecutive days over two weeks. All patients in both groups were tested using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to measure pain intensity before the beginning and at the end of treatment. The size of the calcification was assessed in all patients. The study hypothesizes that f-ESWT reduces the pain and the size of the calcification. Pain intensity reduction was registered in all patients. The calcification size in patients in the experimental group was reduced from the initial range of 2 mm–15 mm, to a content of 0.0 mm–6.2 mm. The calcification size in the control group ranged from 1.2 to 7.5 mm, without any change. None of the patients experienced any adverse reactions to the therapy. Patients treated with standard ultrasound therapy did not have a statistically significant reduction in the calcification size. In contrast, the patients in the experimental group treated with f-ESWT showed a substantial decrease in the calcification size.

Background There are no standardized therapy guidelines for rehabilitation of calcaneus fractures. While there is consensus on non or partial weight-bearing, the use of supporting devices such as specific foot ankle orthosis is still a matter of debate. Recently, a heel-unloading orthosis (“Settner shoe”) was introduced for aftercare of these fractures, allowing walking by shifting the load to the middle-foot and forefoot. This orthosis enables early mobilization of patients suffering from either one-sided or two-sided fractures. The Settner shoe can be applied in non-operative therapy and after surgery. Specifically in calcaneus fractures, early regain of physical activity has been highlighted as one of the key factors for quality of life and the ability to return to work. Thus, we hypothesize that mobilization with the Settner shoe results in improved quality of life and greater physical activity within the first 3 months. Methods This is going to be analyzed by a randomized controlled study comparing treatment with and without this specific orthosis. The secondary outcome measure is the time point of return to work in patients aged between 18 and 60 years, with calcaneus fracture. Furthermore, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, a 3-dimensional gait analysis, and the Euroqol-5 dimension-3 level (EQ-5D-3 L) questionnaire for quality of life are assessed. Discussion This is the first trial applying a standardized rehabilitation protocol in patients with calcaneus fractures, aiming to improve the non-operative part of treatment by use of an orthosis. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03572816 . Registered on 27 July 2018.

Summary Countermeasures are desirable to retard bone loss during long-term space flight. We evaluated the effect of an intervention protocol on bed rest-induced bone loss. Introduction We developed a resistive vibration exercise (RVE) platform to test if an intervention RVE protocol would be effective to protect bed rest-induced bone loss. Methods Fourteen male subjects were assigned randomly to either the RVE group ( n  = 7) that performed daily supervised resistive vibration exercise or to the no any exercise control (CON) group ( n  = 7). Both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography were used to monitor changes in bone mineral density. Results RVE significantly prevented bone loss at multiple skeletal sites, including calcaneus, distal tibia, hip, and lumbar spine (L2–L4). The ratio of urinary calcium and creatinine was found higher after starting bed rest in CON group while no significant changes were observed in RVE group. No significant temporal change was found for osteocalcin-N during and after bed rest in CON group. However, a significant increase was shown after bed rest in RVE group. In both groups, the urinary concentration of bone resorption markers, such as C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD), were significantly elevated after bed rest. In the CON group, no significant temporal effect was found for hydroxyproline (HOP), CTX-I, and DPD during bed rest and the serum concentration of HOP and TGF-β significantly increased about 52.04% and 24.03%, respectively only after bed rest. However, all these markers tended to decrease in the RVE group. Conclusions Our results might imply that the intervention of RVE retarded bone loss induced by simulated microgravity in humans that was mainly attributed to its anabolic effects.

High plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels are associated with increased osteoporotic fracture incidence. However, the mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effect of Hcy-lowering vitamin B 12 and folic acid treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) and calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included participants aged ≥65 years with plasma Hcy levels between 12 and 50 µmol/L. The intervention comprised 2-year supplementation with either a combination of 500 µg B 12 , 400 µg folic acid, and 600 IU vitamin D or placebo with 600 IU vitamin D only. In total, 1111 participants underwent repeated dual-energy X-ray assessment and 1165 participants underwent QUS. Femoral neck (FN) BMD, lumbar spine (LS) BMD, calcaneal broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), and calcaneal speed of sound (SOS) were assessed. After 2 years, FN-BMD and BUA had significantly decreased, while LS-BMD significantly increased (all p  < 0.01) and SOS did not change in either treatment arm. No statistically significant differences between the intervention and placebo group were present for FN-BMD ( p  = 0.24), LS-BMD ( p  = 0.16), SOS ( p  = 0.67), and BUA ( p  = 0.96). However, exploratory subgroup analyses revealed a small positive effect of the intervention on BUA at follow-up among compliant persons >80 years (estimated marginal mean 64.4 dB/MHz for the intervention group and 61.0 dB/MHz for the placebo group, p  = 0.04 for difference). In conclusion, this study showed no overall effect of treatment with vitamin B 12 and folic acid on BMD or QUS parameters in elderly, mildly hyperhomocysteinemic persons, but suggests a small beneficial effect on BUA in persons >80 years who were compliant in taking the supplement.