Orthopedics Commons^™

Validity Of The Body Scan Scanner® And Structure Sensor To Measure Limb Volume In Healthy Adults, Mary Insana Fisher, Michaela Claire Viola, Noah James Brueckner, Madison Elizabeth Wolfe, Rachel Lynn Kremer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose/Hypothesis: Secondary lymphedema is a chronic condition that can develop in approximately 30 percent of women treated for breast cancer. It is important to measure limb volume changes for early detection of lymphedema, when it is possible to reverse the swelling (stage 1). Common clinical measures carry concerns of infection control (water displacement), are time consuming (truncated cone calculation using circumferential measures), or expensive (perometry). Use of a portable 3D scanner addresses these concerns, but the validity is unknown. The purpose of this phase I study is to investigate the validity of the Body Scan Scanner to measure limb volume …

Comparison Of Upper Extremity Function In Women With And Women Without A History Of Breast Cancer, Mary Insana Fisher, Gilson Capilouto, Terry Malone, Heather Bush, Timothy L. Uhl

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Design: This was an observational cross-sectional study.

Methods: Women who were diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mean post–surgical treatment time of 51 months (range = 12–336 months) were compared with women who did not have breast cancer (CTRL group). Self-reported upper extremity function using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and shoulder range of motion, strength, and muscular endurance were measured. Participants were divided into 3 groups: breast cancer involving the nondominant limb (BC-ND), breast cancer involving the dominant limb (BC-DOM), and CTRL.

Results: A total of 59 women in the CTRL group, 23 …

Cancer Rehabilitation Publications (2008–2018) With A Focus On Physical Function: A Scoping Review, Shana Harrington, Nicole L. Stout, Elizabeth Hile, Mary Insana Fisher, Melissa Eden, Victoria Marchese, Lucinda Pfalzer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer rehabilitation research has accelerated over the last decade. However, closer examination of the published literature reveals that the majority of this work has focused on psychological interventions and cognitive and behavioral therapies. Recent initiatives have aggregated expert consensus around research priorities, highlighting a dearth in research regarding measurement of and interventions for physical function. Increasingly loud calls for the need to address the myriad of physical functional impairments that develop in people living with and beyond cancer have been published in the literature. A detailed survey of the landscape of published research has not been reported to our …

You Say “Goodbye,” And I Say, “Hello, Hello, Hello.”, Mary I. Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Validity And Reliability Of Three-Dimensional Imaging To Measure Limb Volume: A Systematic Review, Rachel Kremer, Madison Elizabeth Wolfe, Noah James Brueckner, Michaela Claire Viola, Mary Insana Fisher

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Introduction: Approximately 30% of women treated for breast cancer will develop lymphedema, yet early identification can prevent this occurrence. It is important to accurately and efficiently measure limb volume to identify pre-clinical lymphedema. Three-dimensional (3 D) imaging is emerging as a potential method to meet the need for accuracy and efficiency. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the psychometrics of 3 D imaging to measure limb volume.

Methods: A systematic search of 4 databases was conducted for articles using 3 D imaging to measure limb volume. Articles were included that compared 3 D imaging to water displacement using …

Donor Age Effects On The Proliferative And Chondrogenic/Osteogenic Differentiation Performance Of Equine Bone Marrow- And Adipose Tissue Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Culture, Jasmin Bagge

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Orthopedic injuries are a major cause of lameness and morbidity in horses. Bone marrow (BM)- and adipose tissue (AT) derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown potential to facilitate the repair of orthopedic injuries and are being used increasingly in veterinary clinics. Presently, the use of MSCs as a therapy for equine patients is most commonly applied as autologous transplants, using BM- and AT-MSCs harvested from the patient shortly after the time of injury. Cell-based therapies are therefore delayed to enable primary cell numbers to be expanded in culture. Of concern, however, are human and rodent studies that have shown …

Comparative Chondrogenesis Of Interzone And Anlagen Cells In Equine Skeletal Development, Chanhee Mok

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

At the presumptive sites of future synovial joints during mammalian skeletogenesis, articular cartilage develops from interzone located between the cartilaginous anlagen of bones. Thus, two types of cartilaginous tissues differentiate in close proximity. While anlagen cartilage is transient, progressing through endochondral ossification to form bones, articular cartilage is stable and functions throughout life to facilitate both low friction movement and load distribution. Despite important life-long functional properties, articular cartilage has a very limited intrinsic ability to repair structural defects. On the other hand, structural lesions in bones generally heal well by forming a cartilaginous callus and recapitulating endochondral ossification to …

Effect Of Hospital Volume On Outcomes Of Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Syed Hamza Mufarrih, Muhammad Owais Abdul Ghani, Russell S. Martins, Nada Qaisar Qureshi, Sayyeda Aleena Mufarrih, Azeem Tariq Malik, Shahryar Noordin

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: A shift in the healthcare system towards the centralization of common yet costly surgeries, such as total hip arthroplasty (THA), to high-volume centers of excellence, is an attempt to control the economic burden while simultaneously enhancing patient outcomes. The "volume-outcome" relationship suggests that hospitals performing more treatment of a given type exhibit better outcomes than hospitals performing fewer. This theory has surfaced as an important factor in determining patient outcomes following THA. We performed a systematic review with meta-analyses to review the available evidence on the impact of hospital volume on outcomes of THA.
Materials and methods: We conducted …

Test-Retest Reliability And Minimum Detectable Change For Various Frontal Plane Projection Angles During Dynamic Tasks, David M. Werner, Stephanie Di Stasi, Cara L. Lewis, Joaquin Alberto Barrios

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objective: Establish between-day test-retest reliability metrics for 2-dimensional frontal plane projection angles (FPPAs) during the lateral step-down (LSD), single-limb squat (SLS), single-limb landing (SLL), and drop vertical jump (DVJ).

Design: Test-retest reliability study

Setting: University laboratory

Participants: 20 healthy adults (12 female, age = 23.60±1.93 years old, body mass index = 24.26±2.54 kg/m²) were tested on 2 separate occasions 7-14 days apart.

Main Outcome Measures: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard errors of the measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC) values across the LSD, SLS, SLL, and DVJ for the following body region variables: trunk, trunk on pelvis, …

Creating An Interprofessional Collaborative Research Opportunity For Physical And Occupational Therapy Students, Anne Fleischer, Mary Insana Fisher, Shirley P. O'Brien

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) professional associations assert the importance that entry-level therapists learn and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for interprofessional collaborative practice; however, the majority of PT and OT programs do not have the other discipline at their university. A challenge exists for the creation of a transparent active learning opportunity promoting interprofessional student engagement when the two professions do not reside in the same university. This case study provides a model for how to feasibly create an interprofessional experience for students in universities that do not include a complementary or collaborative allied health professional …

The Effects Of Therapeutic Riding On Social Skills And Sensory Functioning In Children With Autism, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, Christy Lee, Jordan Bevins, Cristin Carter, Stephanie Dailey, Kelsey Haynes, Allison Richard, Sarah Soboslay

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose and Significance: Therapeutic riding (TR) is equine-assisted riding lessons that are adapted for people with a wide variety of impairments and is often used as an adjunct to traditional therapies. Previous research has shown that TR helped to improve sensory functioning, cognition and social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but sessions have typically been for 10-12 weeks. The purpose of this study was to investigate if social skills and sensory functioning improved after only 8 weeks of TR.

Subjects: Children were recruited from a local TR center. Participants included seven children (5M, 2F) with a diagnosis …

Development Of A Sonically Powered Biodegradable Nanogenerator For Bone Regeneration, Avi Patel

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Reconstruction of bone fractures and defects remains a big challenge in orthopedic surgery. While regenerative engineering has advanced the field greatly using a combination of biomaterial scaffolds and stem cells, one matter of difficulty is inducing osteogenesis in these cells. Recent works have shown electricity’s ability to promote osteogenesis in stem cell lines when seeded in bone scaffolds; however, typical electrical stimulators are either (a) externally housed and require overcomplex percutaneous wires be connected to the implanted scaffold or (b) implanted non-degradable devices which contain toxic batteries and require invasive removal surgeries.

Objective: Here, we establish a biodegradable, piezoelectric …

Optimization Of Primary Cilia Detection In Musculoskeletal Tissue, Ragen Engel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this research project was to optimize a laboratory technique for visualizing primary cilia in musculoskeletal tissue of young swine, specifically the growth plate of long bones. This was accomplished through varying fixation procedures, antigen retrieval methods, antibody concentrations, and incubation times. By varying these parameters, a reproducible procedure was developed to examine the primary cilia in multiple tissues including ligament, fascia, and growth plate. This experiment introduced variances in fixation methods, with methanol or formalin. Paraffin and frozen embedding techniques were also varied for comparison with regards to cilia visualization. Results from the acetylated alpha tubulin (aTUB) …

Towards An In Vitro Model Of Testing Osteoblast Cellular Function In Contact With Various Surfaces, Raheleh Miralami

Theses & Dissertations

Past studies have shown that the success of total joint replacements depends on the biocompatibility of orthopaedic materials, which can be improved by modifying the implant surface. However, the exact roles of these modifications and their effective mechanisms are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a model system to investigate the impact of nano-structured surfaces, produced by the ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) technique, on biomarkers of osteointegration using an in vitro model. The IBAD technique was employed to deposit zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), Titanium oxide (TiO₂), and Titanium (Ti) nano-films on …

Association Between Bone-Specific Physical Activity Scores And Pqct-Derived Measures Of Bone Strength And Geometry In Healthy Young And Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women., Sojung Kim, Breanne S Baker, Pragya Sharma-Ghimire, Debra A Bemben, Michael G Bemben

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

The aim of this study was to determine if bone-specific physical activity questionnaire (BPAQ) scores were positively related to bone health in healthy young and middle-aged premenopausal women. The total BPAQ was a stronger predictor of bone strength and bone mineral density of hip in young women as compared to middle-aged premenopausal women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the BPAQ scores were predictive indices of volumetric BMD (vBMD), bone strength, and bone geometry in young and middle-aged premenopausal women.

METHODS: Healthy young (n = 60) and middle-aged premenopausal women (n = 54) between the ages …

Melatonin-Micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (Mots): A Translational Study Assessing The Effects Of Melatonin, Strontium Citrate, Vitamin D3 And Vitamin K2 On Bone Density, Bone Turnover Markers And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Postmenopausal Osteopenic Women Following A One-Year Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial And On Osteoblast-Osteoclast Co-Cultures, Sifat Maria

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess if a novel combination of melatonin and three other natural bone-aiding micronutrients: strontium citrate, vitamins D₃ and K₂ (MSDK) could improve bone health by modulating the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in favor of balanced bone remodeling and by improving the overall health-related quality of life in postmenopausal osteopenic women.

Methods: The Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS) is a translational research study that used both clinical and in vitro approaches to assess the efficacy of MSDK on bone health in women and to identify potential mechanisms for its effects. …

Spinal Cord Trauma: An Overview Of Normal Structure And Function, Primary And Secondary Mechanisms Of Injury, And Emerging Treatment Modalities, Daniel Morin

Senior Honors Theses

The structures of the spinal cord and vertebral column are designed to provide flexibility, while still providing ample protection for the spinal cord deep within. While it does offer remarkable protection against most routine trauma, the spinal cord is still vulnerable to high-force etiologies of trauma and may become damaged as a result. These events are referred to as primary injury. Following the initial injury, the body’s own physiological responses cause a cascade of deleterious effects, known as secondary injury. Secondary injury is a major therapeutic target in mitigating the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI), and much research is …

The Association Of Polymorphism Rs3736228 Within The Lrp5 Gene With Bone Mineral Density In A Cohort Of Caucasian Young Adults, Mohamed J. H. Al-Amoodi, Whitney Jones, Danny Lee, Steven Mckenzie, Helen C. Miller, Zach Zeller, Seth Stubblefield, Susan Knoblach, Heather Gordish-Dressman, Dustin Hittel, Laura L. Tosi

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis is a significant burden for our aging population. Developing a better understanding of the genetic underpinnings of poor bone quality may assist in the future development of prevention strategies. Correa-Rodriguez et al. have identified a group of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in a population of Spanish Caucasians. In particular, they found that SNP rs3736228 in the low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein 5 (LRP5) gene had an influence on BMD. While the role of LRP5 in the Wnt canonical pathway has been fairly well characterized, its association with phenotypic BMD and …

Oncology Section Edge Task Force On Cancer: Measures Of Cancer-Related Fatigue—A Systematic Review, Mary Insana Fisher, Claire Davies, Hannah Lacy, Deborah Doherty

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. Being able to accurately screen for and assess CRF will improve access to and prescriptions for interventions. Valid and reliable measures to screen for and assess CRF need to be identified.

Purpose: To identify and recommend reliable, valid, and clinically useful tools to screen for and assess CRF among those treated for cancer.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to assess the published psychometric properties and clinical feasibility of each method identified. Task force members independently reviewed each measure using …

Serum Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha In Osteopenic And Osteoporotic Postmenopausal Females: A Cross-Sectional Study In Pakistan, Rafat Murad, Zahra Shezad, Saara Ahmed, Mussarat Ashraf, Murad Qadir, Rehana Rehman

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To compare biochemical parameters serum tumour necrosis factor alpha, calcium, magnesium, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and vitamin D in postmenopausal women.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from June 2015 to July 2016 at Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, and comprised postmenopausal women. Bone mineral density done by dual energy X-ray absorptiometryscan categorised subjects by World Health Organisation classification into normal (T score > -1) osteopenic (T score between -1 and -2.5) and osteoporotic (T score < -2.5). Biochemical parameters like tumour necrosis alpha, calcium, magnesium, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and vitamin D were measured by solid phase enzyme amplified sensitivity immunoassay method. SPSS 16 was used to analyse the data.
Results: Of the 146 women, 34(23%) were normal, 93(67%) were osteopenic and 19(13%) were osteoporotic. There was significant difference in mean body mass …

Metabolic And Transcriptional Modules Independently Diversify Plasma Cell Lifespan And Function, Wing Y. Lam, Arijita Jash, Cong-Hui Yao, Lucas D'Souza, Rachel Wong, Ryan M. Nunley, Gordon P. Meares, Gary J. Patti, Deepta Bhattacharya

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Plasma cell survival and the consequent duration of immunity vary widely with infection or vaccination. Using fluorescent glucose analog uptake, we defined multiple developmentally independent mouse plasma cell populations with varying life- spans. Long-lived plasma cells imported more fluo- rescent glucose analog, expressed higher surface levels of the amino acid transporter CD98, and had more autophagosome mass than did short-lived cells. Low amino acid concentrations triggered re- ductions in both antibody secretion and mitochon- drial respiration, especially by short-lived plasma cells. To explain these observations, we found that glutamine was used for both mitochondrial respira- tion and anaplerotic reactions, yielding …

Spontaneous Dna Damage To The Nuclear Genome Promotes Senescence, T Redox Imbalance And Aging, Andria R. Robinson, Matthew J. Yousefzadeh, Tania A. Rozgaja, Jin Wang, Xuesen Li, Jeremy S. Tilstra, Chelsea H. Feldman, Siobhan Q. Gregg, Caroline H. Johnson, Erin M. Skoda, Marie-Celine Frantz, Harris Bell-Temin, Hannah Pope-Varsalona, Aditi U. Gurkar, Luigi A. Nasto, Rena A.S. Robinson, Heike Fuhrmann-Stroissnigg, Jolanta Czerwinska, Sara J. Mcgowan, Nadiezhda Cantu-Madellin, Jamie B. Harris, Salony Maniar, Mark A. Ross, Christy E. Trussoni, Nicholas F. Larusso, Eugenia Cifuentes-Pagano, Patrick J. Pagano, Barbara Tudek, Nam V. Vo, Lora H. Rigatti, Patricia L. Opresko, Donna B. Stolz, Simon C. Watkins, Christin E. Burd, Claudette M. St, Croix, Gary Siuzdak, Nathan A. Yates, Paul D. Robbins, Yinsheng Wang, Peter Wipf, Eric E. Kelley, Laura J. Neidernhofer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Accumulation of senescent cells over time contributes to aging and age-related diseases. However, what drives senescence in vivo is not clear. Here we used a genetic approach to determine if spontaneous nuclear DNA damage is sufficient to initiate senescence in mammals. Ercc1-/Δ mice with reduced expression of ERCC1-XPF endonuclease have impaired capacity to repair the nuclear genome. Ercc1-/Δ mice accumulated spontaneous, oxidative DNA damage more rapidly than wild-type (WT) mice. As a consequence, senescent cells accumulated more rapidly in Ercc1-/Δ mice compared to repair-competent animals. However, the levels of DNA damage and senescent cells in Ercc1-/Δ mice never exceeded that …

Perceived Stress Levels May Impact Upper Extremity Function Among Women Treated For Breast Cancer, Mary Insana Fisher, Anne Fleischer, Lynn Hendricks, Megan Mcclure, Kim Parent, Renee Roberts

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose/Hypothesis: Women treated for breast cancer report ongoing upper extremity disability with functional limitations; however, objective measures do not appear to explain the extent of perceived dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived stress level, fear of physical activity, self-reported upper extremity function, and objective measures of upper extremity function including range of motion (ROM), strength, and muscular endurance, among women treated for breast cancer.

Number of Subjects: 25

Materials/Methods: Women diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in the past 12-60 months were evaluated using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), …

Antegrade Endosteal Fibular Strut Augmentation For Periprosthetic Femur Fracture Above Stemmed Total Knee Arthroplasty, Tyler Snoap, Jason Roberts, Matthew Jaykel

Research Day

Abstract Title: ANTEGRADE ENDOSTEAL FIBULAR STRUT AUGMENTATION FOR PERIPROSTHETIC FEMUR FRACTURE ABOVE STEMMED TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY Abstract ID: 245 Abstract Category: Clinical Research Introduction: 
The management of peri-prosthetics fracture around total knee replacements is technically challenging. The options for operative fixation become more limited if the femoral component is stemmed, which often is the case after revision arthroplasty procedures. The goals of surgery for peri-prosthetic fractures above knee replacements are to provide a rigid construct to promote healing, allow immediate knee range of motion, and allow weight bearing during the healing process. 
Purpose: 
The purpose of this study is to …

Traumatic Laceration Of The Posterior Tibial Tendon Treated With Novel Technique, Nicholas Miladore, Robert Gorman

Research Day

Abstract Title: TRAUMATIC LACERATION OF THE POSTERIOR TIBIAL TENDON TREATED WITH NOVEL TECHNIQUE Abstract ID: 249 Abstract Category: Clinical Research INTRODUCTION: Posterior tibial tendon (PTT) insufficiency is a common entity, and can result in chronic tendon disruption. Acute disruption is a rare occurrence, but has been described in the literature. Most reported cases are associated with ipsilateral ankle fractures. Laceration of the posterior tibial tendon has also been described, typically in the operative setting as a result of iatrogenic injury. 
CASE REPORT: A 15 year old male presented to the clinic with complaints of right ankle pain and weakness. 2.5 …

Effect Of Exercise Position On Percent Changes In Serratus Anterior Muscle Thickness, Joseph M. Day

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objective: A reliable method for measuring SA thickness with ultrasound imaging has been reported, yet the ability to detect differences in levels of contractility has yet to be established. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in the percent change in thickness of the SA during four different exercise positions performed by healthy individuals.

Design: Observational study

Setting: Laboratory

Participants: Twenty-eight healthy participants, mean age 26 (SD 4, 57% female, 100% right handed)

Methods: Volunteers were positioned in a standardized sitting posture and anatomical landmarks were marked for ultrasound probe positioning. Two resting and two …

The Reliability Of The Navicular Drop Test And Its Transferability To Dynamic Movement, Joshua Krispin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Navicular drop can be defined as the distance the navicular tuberosity moves from a standing weight bearing to a standing neutral position, as the subtalar joint moves from a relaxed position to a neutral position. Navicular drop is an important measurement for clinicians used to describe foot function, pronation, and excessive movement seen in several pathologies. Objective: The purpose of this study is to see if navicular drop is influenced by mode or speed of locomotion, if it is will there be other influences such as the forefoot and heel soft tissue, and will those factors influence those measures. …

Relationship Between Bone-Specific Physical Activity Scores And Measures For Body Composition And Bone Mineral Density In Healthy Young College Women., Sojung Kim, Wi-Young So, Jooyoung Kim, Dong Jun Sung

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between bone-specific physical activity (BPAQ) scores, body composition, and bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy young college women.

METHODS: Seventy-three college women (21.7 ± 1.8 years; 162.1 ± 4.6 cm; 53.9 ± 5.8 kg) between the ages of 19 and 26 years were recruited from the universities in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, South Korea. We used dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and proximal femur BMD (left side; total hip, femoral neck). The BPAQ scores (past, pBPAQ; current, cBPAQ; total, tBPAQ) were used to …

A Comparison Of Cervical And Trunk Musculoskeletal Characteristics Between Female And Male Army Helicopter Pilots, Takashi Nagai, Karen A. Keenan, John P. Abt, Timothy C. Sell, Brian W. Smalley, Michael D. Wirt, Scott M. Lephart

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Introduction: Neck pain (NP) and low back pain (LBP) are prevalent among military helicopter pilots. Although there have been few studies on sex differences in the NP/LBP prevalence in this population, females are shown to be at a greater risk of NP/LBP in civilian studies. This disparity may be due to musculoskeletal characteristics differences that predispose females for NP/LBP. The purpose of this study was to compare cervical and trunk musculoskeletal characteristics between male and female pilots. Methods: A total of 8 female pilots (Age: 27.6 ± 4.2yrs, HT: 166.1 ± 7.7cm, WT: 67.9 ± 10.6kg) were tested, and they …

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone) Supplementation And Its Benefits In Cardiovascular Disease, Osteoporosis, And Cancer, Grant S. Buchanan, Md, Thomas Melvin, Brandon Merritt, Charles Bishop, Md, Franklin D. Shuler, Md, Phd

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Vitamin K is known to play an essential role in the coagulation cascade; however, a growing body of research has found that a subtype of this vitamin, vitamin K₂ (menaquinone) may have a beneficial effect in osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of recent literature regarding menaquinone and its role in human health. This review discusses the physiology of menaquinone, its clinical benefits in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancer, and how it may interact with certain medications. The authors conclude that menaquinone supplementation has been shown to improve carboxylation …