Helen Hayes Hospital Awarded Grant from National Institutes of Health
January 30, 2017Will Fund Study on Healing of Pelvic Fracture
West Haverstraw, NY – The world-renowned osteoporosis research team at Helen Hayes Hospital, New York State’s premier physical rehabilitation facility, has been awarded a five year $2.1 million research grant by the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will fund a study evaluating the use of the medicaton Teriparatide in the healing of pelvic fracture.
The Principal investigator is Jeri W. Nieves, PhD, an epidemiologist and osteoporosis specialist in the hospital’s Clinical Research Center. She will be collaborating with researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York.
A total of 100 men and women over 65 years of age, with acute osteoporosis related pelvic fractures, will be enrolled in the clinical trial. The study seeks to determine whether healing of pelvic fractures is faster using one medication (Teriparatide) as compared to placebo (an inactive drug). Pelvic fracture healing will be evaluated by CT scans, pain assessment and by measuring the ability to perform various physical activities.
Osteoporosis is very common and one in two women and one in four men are likely to have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime. Pelvic fractures are often a result of low-energy trauma, such as a fall from standing height and are associated with slow healing, chronic pain, limited mobility, and a delayed return to full function and normal activity. There is typically no surgery for pelvic fractures and the current treatment strategy includes pain management, patient mobilization, and the prevention of complications associated with comorbid conditions.
“Pelvic fractures consume substantial healthcare resources and based on administrative claims data, they are one of the most costly osteoporosis related fractures,” explains Dr. Nieves. “With aging of the population, and expected concomitant increase in the incidence of pelvic fractures, there is a urgent need to find effective treatments that will accelerate healing, which would ultimately lead to improved care and reduced costs from pelvic fractures.”
For additional information, contact Catherine Roimisher, NP at 845-786-4804.
