Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)

Research Groups and Themes

Research Group: Musculoskeletal Health and Rheumatology

The ‘Musculoskeletal Health’ research group is involved in research projects on musculoskeletal disorders, especially osteoarthritis, low back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. This includes studies on prevalence, incidence, diagnosis and natural history as well as systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials. The group collaborates with the Clinic for Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergology of the University Hospital Bern.

Group members

Group leader

Group members

External collaborator:

da Costa Bruno

Collaborations

University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
(Prof. Peter Jüni)

University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
(Prof. David Hunter)

Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
(Prof. David Felson)

University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
(Prof. Martin Scherer)

Ongoing projects

Etiology of primary osteoarthritis of the hip

Related publications:

  • Leunig M, Jüni P, Werlen S, Limacher A, Nüesch E, Pfirrmann CW, Trelle S, Odermatt A, Hofstetter W, Ganz R, Reichenbach S. Prevalence of cam and pincer-type deformities on hip MRI in an asymptomatic young Swiss female population: a cross-sectional study. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2013;21:544-50 [PMID: 23337290]
  • Reichenbach S, Leunig M, Werlen S, Nüesch E, Pfirrmann CW, Bonel H, Odermatt A, Hofstetter W, Ganz R, Jüni P. Association between cam-type deformities and magnetic resonance imaging-detected structural hip damage: a cross-sectional study in young men. Arthritis Rheum. 2011;63:4023-30. [PMID: 21904996]
  • Reichenbach S, Jüni P, Werlen S, Nüesch E, Pfirrmann CW, Trelle S, Odermatt A, Hofstetter W, Ganz R, Leunig M. Prevalence of femoral neck protuberance on hip MRI in a Swiss male population. Arthritis Care & Research 2010;62:1319-1327. [PMID: 20853471]
  • Reichenbach S, Jüni P, Nüesch E, Frey F, Ganz R, Leunig M. An examination chair to measure internal rotation of the hip in routine settings: a validation study. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2010;18:365-371. [PMID: 19833251]

Pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical pain management in osteoarthritis: meta-analysis and network meta-analysis

Related publications:

  • da Costa BR, Reichenbach S, Keller N, Nartey L, Wandel S, Jüni P, Trelle, S. Effectiveness of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain: a network meta-analysis. Lancet. 2016 May 21;387(10033):2093-105. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30002-2. Epub 2016 Mar 18. [PMID: 26997557]
  • Trelle S, Reichenbach S, Wandel S, Hildebrand P, Tschannen B, Villiger PM, Egger M, Jüni P. Cardiovascular safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: network meta-analysis. BMJ 2011;342:c7086 [PMID: 21224324
  • Jüni P, Hari R, Rutjes AWS, Fischer R, Silletta MG, Reichenbach S, da Costa BR. Intra-articular corticosteroid for knee osteoarthritis: systematic review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015 Oct 22;10; CD005326. [PMID: 26490760]
  • Kötter T, da Costa BR, Fässler M, Blozik E, Linde K, Jüni P, Reichenbach S, Scherer M. Metamizole-associated adverse events: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 13;10(4):e0122918.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122918. [PMID: 25875821]
  • Fransen M, McConnell S, Hernández-Molina G, Reichenbach S. Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip: systematic review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014; 4: CD007912. [PMID: 24756895]
  • da Costa BR, Nüesch E, Reichenbach S, Jüni P, Rutjes AW. Doxycycline for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;11: CD007323. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007323.pub3. [PMID: 23152242]
  • Rutjes AW, Jüni P, da Costa BR, Trelle S, Nüesch E, Reichenbach S. Viscosupplementation for osteoarthritis of the knee: systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157(3):180-91. [PMID: 22868835]
  • Wandel S, Jüni P, Tendal B, Nüesch E, Villiger PM, Welton NJ, Reichenbach S, Trelle S. Effects of glucosamine, chondroitin, or placebo in patients with osteoarthrtritis of  hip or knee: network meta-analysis.
  • Reichenbach S, Rutjes AW, Nüesch E, Trelle S, Jüni P. Joint lavage for osteoarthritis of the knee: systematic review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2010;5: CD007320.  [PMID: 20464751]
  • Rutjes AW, Nüesch E, Sterchi R, Kalichman L, Hendriks E, Osiri M, Brosseau L, Reichenbach S, Jüni P. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip: systematic review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009;4:CD002823. [PMID: 19821296]
  • Reichenbach S, Blank S, Rutjes AW, Shang A, Kinge EA, Dieppe PA, Jüni P, Trelle S. Hylan versus hyaluronic acid for osteoarthritis of the knee: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arthritis Rheum 2007;57:1410-1418. [PMID: 18050181]

Randomized controlled trials in osteoarthritis

Related publications:

  • Murphy NJ, Eyles J, Bennell KL, Bohensky M, Burns A, Callaghan FM, Dickenson E, Fary C, Grieve SM, Griffin DR, Hall M, Hobson R, Kim YJ, Linklater JM, Lloyd DG, Molnar R, O'Connell RL, O'Donnell J, O'Sullivan M, Randhawa S, Reichenbach S, Saxby DJ, Singh P, Spiers L, Tran P, Wrigley TV, Hunter DJ. Protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial comparing arthroscopic hip surgery to physiotherapy-led care for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI): the Australian FASHIoN trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017 Sep 26;18(1):406. doi: 10.1186/s12891-017-1767-y. PMID: 28950859
  • Märki N, Witte S, Kuchen S, Reichenbach S, Ramseyer A, Gerber V, Spadavecchia C. Safety of intra-articular gold microimplants in horses–A randomized, blinded, controlled experimental study. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Published online: March 18, 2017.
  • Jüni P, Reichenbach S, Trelle S, Tschannen B, Wandel S, Jordi B, Züllig M, Guetg R, Häuselmann HJ, Schwarz H, Theiler R, Ziswiler HR, Dieppe PA, Villiger PM, Egger M. Swiss Viscosupplementation Trial Group. Efficacy and safety of intraarticular hylan or hyaluronic acids for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum 2007;56:3610-19. [PMID: 17968921]
  • Reichenbach S, Sterchi R, Scherer M, Trelle S, Bürgi L, Bürgi U, Dieppe PA, Jüni P. Meta-analysis: Chondroitin for osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Ann Intern Med 2007; 146:580-90. [PMID: 17438317]
  • Jüni P, Nartey L, Reichenbach S, Sterchi R, Dieppe PA, Egger M. Risk of cardiovascular events and rofecoxib: cumulative meta-analysis. Lancet 2004;364:2021-9. [PMID: 15582059]

Tocilizumab for treatment of large vessel vasculitis

Related publications:

  • Villiger PM, Adler S, Kuchen S, Wermelinger F, Dan D, Fiege V, Bütikofer L, Seitz M, Reichenbach S. Tocilizumab for induction and maintenance of remission in giant cell arteritis: a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2016 Mar 4. pii: S0140-6736(16)00560-2. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00560-2. [Epub ahead of print] [PMID: 26952547]
  • Seitz MN, Reichenbach S, Bonel HM, Adler S, Wermelinger F, Villiger PM. Rapid induction of remission in large vessel vasculitis by IL-6 blockade. Swiss Med Wkly 2011;141:w13156. Doi: 10.4414. [PMID: 21243547]

GetReal in rheumatoid arthritis

Related publications:

  • Kilcher G, Hummel N, Didden EM, Egger M, Reichenbach S; GetReal Work Package 4. Rheumatoid arthritis patients treated in trial and real world settings: comparison of randomized trials with registries. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2017 Nov 14. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kex394. [Epub ahead of print] [PMID: 29149289]

The meta-epidemiology of research into the treatment of osteoarthritis

Related publications:

  • da Costa BR, Nüesch E, Rutjes AWS, Johnston BC, Reichenbach S, Trelle S, Guyatt G, Jüni P. Combining follow-up and change data is valid in meta-analyses of continuous outcomes: meta-epidemiological study. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2013;66:847-55 [PMID: 23747228]
  • da Costa BR, Rutjes AWS, Johnston BC, Reichenbach S, Nüesch E, Tonia T, Gemperle A, Guyatt G, Jüni P. Methods to convert continuous outcomes into odds ratios of treatment response and numbers needed to treat: meta-epidemiological study. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2012;41:1445-1459 [PMID: 23045205]
  • Nüesch E, Trelle S, Reichenbach S, Rutjes AW, Tschannen B, Altman DG, Egger M, Jüni P. Small study effects in meta-analyses of osteoarthritis trials: meta-epidemiological study.  BMJ 2010;341:c3515. doi: 10.1136/bmj.c3515. [PMID: 20639294]
  • Nüesch E, Reichenbach S, Trelle S, Rutjes AW, Liewald K, Sterchi R, Altman DG,  Jüni P. The importance of allocation concealment and patient blinding in osteoarthritis trials: a meta-epidemiological study. Arthritis Rheum  2009; 61:1633-41. [PMID: 19950329]
  • Nüesch E, Trelle S, Reichenbach S, Rutjes AW, Bürgi E, Scherer M, Altman DG,  Jüni P. The effects of excluding patients from the analysis in randomized controlled trials: meta-epidemiological study. BMJ 2009; 339:b3244. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b3244. [PMID:19736281]

Predictors of progression, outcome and health care utilisation in people with chronic hip or knee osteoarthritis: Somerset and Avon Survey of Health

Related publications:

  • Hilfiker R, Jüni P, Nüesch E, Dieppe PA, Reichenbach S. Association of radiographic osteoarthritis, pain on passive movement and knee range of motion: A cross-sectional study. Man Ther 2014; Nov 29. pii: S1356-689X(14)00235-5. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2014.11.014. [Epub ahead of print] [PMID: 25529190]
  • Nüesch E, Dieppe P, Reichenbach S, Williams S, Iff S, Jüni P. All-cause and disease specific mortality in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis: population based cohort study. BMJ 2011; 342:d1165. doi: 10.1136/bmj.d1165. [PMID: 21385807]
  • Reichenbach S, Dieppe PA, Nüesch E, Villiger P, Williams S, Jüni P. Association of bone attrition with knee pain, stiffness and disability – a cross-sectional study. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70:293-8. [PMID: 20870808]
  • Jüni P, Low N, Reichenbach S*, Villiger PM, Williams S, Dieppe PA. Gender inequity in the provision of care for hip disease: population based cross-sectional study. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2010;18:640-5. [PMID: 20167302]
  • Dieppe PA, Reichenbach S, Williams S, Gregg P, Watt I, Jüni P. Assessing bone loss on radiographs of the knee in osteoarthritis: cross-sectional study. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52:3536-41. [PMID: 16255025] 

Completed projects

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Related publications:

  • Vögelin E, Jüni P, Reichenbach S, Nüesch E, Kluge S, Eser P, Ziswiler HR. Sonographic follow-up of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome undergoing surgical or nonsurgical treatment: prospective cohort study. J Hand Surg Am 2010; 35:1401-9. [PMID: 20639294]
  • Jüni P, Reichenbach S, Ziswiler HR, Kessels AG, Vögelin E. Consequences of different diagnostic ‘gold standards’ in test accuracy research: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as an example. Int J Epidemiol 2005;34:953-5. [PMID: 15911545]
  • Ziswiler HR, Reichenbach S, Vögelin E, Bachmann LM, Villiger PM, Jüni P. Diagnostic value of sonography in patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome: a prospective study. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52:304-11. [PMID: 15641050]

Urticaria

Related publication:

  • Jörg L, Pecaric-Petkovic T, Reichenbach S, Coslovsky M, Stalder O, Pichler W, Hausmann O. Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of the effect of omalizumab on basophils in chronic urticaria patients. Clin Exp Allergy. 2018 Feb;48(2):196-204. doi: 10.1111/cea.13066. Epub 2017 Dec 12. [PMID: 29164723]

Spinal manipulative therapy in acute low back pain

Related publication:

  • Jüni P, Battaglia M, Nüesch E, Hämmerle G, Eser P, van Beers R, Vils D, Bernhard J, Ziswiler HR, Dähler M, Reichenbach S, Villiger PM. A randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulative therapy in acute low back pain. Ann Rheum Dis 2009;68:1420-7. [PMID: 18775942]

Psoriasis arthritis

Related publication:

  • Seitz M, Reichenbach S, Moeller B, Zwahlen M, Villiger PM, Dufour JF. Hepatoprotective effect on TNFα blockade in psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional study. Ann Rheum Dis 2010;69:1148-50. [PMID: 19854710]

Treatment of lower urinary tract infections

Related publication:

  • Kronenberg A, Bütikofer L, Odutayo A, Mühlemann K, da Costa BR, Battaglia M, Meli DN, Frey P, Limacher A, Reichenbach S, Jüni P. Symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in the ambulatory setting: randomised, double blind trial. BMJ. 2017 Nov 7;359:j4784. doi: 10.1136/bmj.j4784. Erratum in: BMJ. 2017 Nov 13;359:j5268.  [PMID: 29113968]

Drug-eluting and bare-metal stents

Related publication:

  • Stettler C, Wandel S, Allemann S, Kastrati A, Morice MC, Schömig A, Pfisterer ME, Stone GW, Leon MB, Suarez de Lezo J, Goy JJ, Park SJ, Sabaté M, Suttorp MJ, Kelbaek H, Spaulding C, Menichelli M, Vermeersch P, Dirksen MT, Cervinka P,  Petronio AS, Nordmann AJ, Diem P, Meier B, Zwahlen M, Reichenbach S, Trelle S, Windecker S, Jüni P. Outcomes associated with drug-eluting and bare-metal stents: a collaborative network meta-analysis. Lancet 2007;370: 937-48. [PMID: 17869634]