Sport Injuries: MRIs of hips of hockey players show abnormalities in 70% - are they clinically significant?

A study included M.R.I.’s of the hips of 21 professional hockey players and 21 college players. They showed abnormalities in 70 percent of the athletes, even though these hockey players had no pain or only minimal discomfort that did not affect their playing. More than half had labral tears, rips in the cartilage that stabilizes the hip.

“M.R.I.’s are so sensitive,” Dr. Musahl said. “They frequently show little tears or fraying everywhere. And it is very, very common to have a small labral tear in your hip — it doesn’t mean you have to have the particular symptoms.”

References:
Personal Best - Sports Injuries - Go to a Doctor or Tough It Out? NYTimes.com.

A Young Man with Hip Pain due to Piriformis Syndrome

Image source: X-rays (not MRIs), Edheads.org.

New schizophrenia drug lurasidone (Latuda) does not cause significant weight gain

Lurasidone (Latuda) was approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults in October 2010. Lurasidone acts as a D2, 5-HT2A, 5-HT7, and α2C-adrenergic receptor antagonist, and 5-HT1A receptor agonist.

Once-daily lurasidone did not cause significant weight gain, a common side effect of other schizophrenia drugs. Possible treatment side effects do include drowsiness, agitation, tremors, and nausea.

Lurasidone will carry a boxed warning - required of all atypical antipsychotics - about the increased risk for stroke and death when used off-label to treat dementia-related psychosis in older patients.

Other severe but rare side effects include neuroleptic malignant syndrome and tardive dyskinesia.

References:
New Schizophrenia Drug Approved. Journal Watch.

Image source: Lurasidone, Wikipedia, public domain.