Hospital for Special Surgery to Host International Arthritis Summit: Frontiers in Osteoarthritis Research, Prevention and Care

NEW YORK, June 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Newswise -- Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most pressing health care challenges of our time, affecting 27 million Americans. In an effort to elucidate the latest information in diagnosis, treatment, research and prevention, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) will host an international Osteoarthritis Summit on June 17 and June 18.

The Hospital, internationally recognized for its leadership in the fields of orthopedics and rheumatology, will bring together a multidisciplinary group of thought leaders from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Renowned physicians, scientists and industry leaders will describe current research, the most promising avenues for future investigation, the latest diagnostic tools and treatments, public health strategies and the most recent information on preventing OA.

"Public health data indicate that the prevalence, impact and economic consequences of osteoarthritis are expected to rise dramatically within the next several decades. Clearly, understanding and preventing this disease is an urgent research challenge," said Steven Goldring, M.D., chief scientific officer at Hospital for Special Surgery and co-director of the conference.

"By bringing together a group of leading international experts, we will develop a consensus document on future directions for OA research, prevention and treatment," said Timothy Wright, Ph.D., Kirby chair of orthopedic biomechanics at HSS and co-director of the event.

Orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, scientists and biomechanical engineers -- experts in the major research and clinical aspects of the disease--as well as leaders from the pharmaceutical, device and insurance industries will be among 35 speakers discussing a wide range of topics. The two-day-long event will take place at the Richard Menschel Conference Center at HSS on Friday, June 17, starting at 9 a.m., and on Saturday, June 18, starting at 8 a.m.

Among the subjects to be explored:

* How can we identify those at risk of developing OA, as well as those who may be in the initial stages of the disease before they develop symptoms?

* How effective are different strategies for preventing OA, including weight control, exercise and gait modification?

* What are the underlying disease mechanisms? What is known about the role of biomechanics, joint injury, inflammation and aging in the disease onset and progression?

* What are the benefits and challenges associated with current medical and surgical treatments for OA? What is the promise of more effective medical, surgical, and new tissue engineering strategies for disease prevention and treatment?

* How can we work together to more effectively improve outcomes?

The conference will feature distinguished speakers from the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation, Hospital for Special Surgery, Rush Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Tufts, Wake Forest, Duke University, McGill University in Canada, the University of Sydney, Genzyme Biosurgery, Pfizer, Inc., Zimmer, Inc., and Aetna.

"We believe the Osteoarthritis Summit will provide vital information about the research, care and innovation necessary to improve the lives of millions of people suffering from OA," Dr. Goldring said. "Hospital for Special Surgery is proud to be a leader in raising awareness of osteoarthritis and promoting critical research and best practices in patient care."

For a complete list of topics and speakers, go to http://www.hss.edu/files/OASummitAgenda2011.pdf

About Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is a serious and painful joint disease that limits mobility and impairs quality of life. Most often affecting the hip and knee, half of all adults will develop symptomatic OA of the knee at some point in their lives.

The socioeconomic burden of the disease is staggering. The economic impact is $128 billion: $81 billion for direct health care expenditures and $47 billion in indirect costs related to lost earnings. OA results in 992,000 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatient visits annually.   More than 770,000 hip and knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.

About Hospital for Special Surgery

Founded in 1863, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation. HSS is nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics, No. 3 in rheumatology, No. 16 in neurology and No. 18 in geriatrics by U.S. News & World Report (2010-11), and has received Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. From 2007 to 2011, HSS has been a recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award. A member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS provides orthopedic and rheumatologic patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center. All Hospital for Special Surgery medical staff are on the faculty of Weill Cornell Medical College. The hospital's research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculo  skeletal and autoimmune diseases... Hospital for Special Surgery is located in New York City and online at http://www.hss.edu/.

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SOURCE Hospital for Special Surgery