Osteology

Background: Low peak bone mass (PBM) is a major contributor to later osteoporosis risk. This study sought to understand young people’s knowledge of factors associated with bone health. Methods: Young people in Aotearoa New Zealand were approached. Eight focus groups (26 participants in total, aged 11 to 17 years) were conducted using a semi-structured approach with open-ended questions and prompts. Transcripts were thematically coded using an inductive content analysis approach. Results: Knowledge of factors associated with good bone health was limited. There was a general awareness of the positive and negative impacts of many lifestyle behaviours on health generally, but not specifically PBM. Dairy intake was commonly mentioned as being beneficial for bone health. Some participants reported potential benefits of sport, but most did not know that weight bearing activity specifically was beneficial. Conclusions: Knowledge of osteoporosis and lifestyle factors that impact PBM was limited. Educational interventions involving promotion of bone health knowledge and supporting weight bearing physical activity in adolescents may be an important contributor to public health strategies.

Background/Objectives: Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, the most common hereditary peripheral neuropathy, often causes cavovarus foot deformity in children. Surgical interventions to correct deformity or improve function can involve either primary fusion or reconstruction. However, the optimal surgical approach remains contested. This systematic review aims to present and evaluate existing data on both fusion and reconstruction surgical interventions in treating pediatric CMT cavus foot. Methods: A PRISMA-guided search of five electronic databases was conducted (from inception to 17 February 2025). Studies were eligible if they reported surgical outcomes for CMT pediatric patients ($\le$18 years) with cavovarus foot treated by primary fusion or reconstruction. Titles, abstracts and full texts were screened by four independent reviewers, and data were extracted on patient demographics, procedures, follow-up, functional scores, radiographic correction and complications. Results: Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria, encompassing 169 patients and 276 feet, with a mean age at surgery of ~13.5 years. Nine studies evaluated joint-sparing reconstruction, three assessed primary fusion, and two combined both reconstruction and fusion. Both interventions yielded improved outcomes post-operatively. Reconstruction generally produced high patient satisfaction and near-normal radiographic parameters but carried recurrence or reoperation rates of 10–40%. Fusion provided durable correction of rigid deformities but was associated with nonunion, adjacent joint arthritis and higher revision rates. Conclusions: Joint-sparing reconstruction is an effective first-line approach for flexible cavovarus deformities in pediatric CMT patients, while fusion should be reserved for severe, rigid or recurrent cases. A patient-specific staged approach is recommended, and higher-quality comparative studies are needed to refine surgical decision-making.

Background: Risk factors, including Joint Index Vector (JIV), a new disease activity indicator based on three-axis coordinates, and a pain score using a visual analog scale (PS-VAS), were evaluated for incident bone fragility fractures (inc-BFF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a retrospective case–control study. Methods: RA patients who were followed for at least two consecutive years (RA) and a control group consisting of patients without RA but with similar background demographics (non-RA) were recruited and monitored. The prevalence of inc-BFF was compared between the two groups. Common potential risk factors in both groups and RA-specific factors within the RA group regarding inc-BFF were analyzed statistically. Results: A total of 278 patients were studied in each group. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of inc-BFF between the two groups. Presenting RA was not a major factor in developing inc-BFF. Higher Vz in the JIV, which reflects the difference in the involvement ratio between large and small joints, and higher PS-VAS showed significantly higher hazard ratios in a univariate model. Vz > 0.01, PS-VAS ≥ 25.5, and simplified disease activity index ≥ 2.11 at follow-up, along with PS-VAS at baseline > 21.0, are the key cutoff indices for RA-specific risk factors. When two of these factors were combined, the combination of Vz and PS-VAS at follow-up resulted in the highest hazard ratio (4.25; p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that combining Vz and PS-VAS is the key risk indicator for inc-BFF.