‘Weak’ opioid agonist’ tramadol linked to increased mortality in OA patients

Prescribing of tramadol in patients with osteoarthritis is associated with a doubled mortality rate compared to patients prescribed NSAIDs, a UK study shows. The increased mortality rate for tramadol was similar to that seen for codeine for which tramadol is often...

Prescribing of tramadol in patients with osteoarthritis is associated with a doubled mortality rate compared to patients prescribed NSAIDs, a...

Rhythm and rhyme inspire rheumatology researcher

All publications in top-tier academic journals are a cause for excitement but it isn’t just his research that scores Professor Ian Wicks pages in JAMA and Annals of Internal Medicine. Professor Wicks, head of rheumatology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and...

All publications in top-tier academic journals are a cause for excitement but it isn’t just his research that scores Professor...

Pain

OMERACT review shows burden of shoulder disorders centres on pain

Pain is the predominant symptom reported by people with shoulder disorders but it also feeds into many of the other themes identified in a systematic review of the patient experience. The review included eight qualitative studies representing 133 patients with...

Pain is the predominant symptom reported by people with shoulder disorders but it also feeds into many of the other...

Medical politics

Medicare freeze to end for x-ray and ultrasound imaging

The Federal Government has agreed to widen the number of radiology and diagnostic imaging services that will have Medicare rebates indexed from 2020. In 2017 health minister Greg Hunt said the Medicare freeze would be lifted on 59 of 891 radiology...

The Federal Government has agreed to widen the number of radiology and diagnostic imaging services that will have Medicare rebates...