Eligibility for knee arthroplasty is associated with increased risk of acquired hallux valgus - a Mendelian randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: Clinically, it has been found that patients undergoing knee replacement have a high incidence of concomitant hallux valgus. In this study, we analyzed whether patients with osteoarthritis who underwent surgery and those patient who did not have surgery had an increased risk of hallux valgus by Mendelian randomization and performed reverse causal analysis. DESIGN: Genomewide association study (GWAS) data for osteoarthritis, categorized by knee arthritis with joint replacement, knee arthritis without joint replacement, hip arthritis with joint replacement, and hip arthritis without joint replacement.And acquired hallux valgus were downloaded for Mendelian randomized studies. MR analysis was performed using inverse variance-weighted (IVW), weighted median, and MR-Egger methods. MR-egger regression, MR pleiotropic residuals and outliers (MR-presso), and Cochran's Q statistical methods were used to evaluate heterogeneity and pleiotropy. RESULTS: The IVW results indicate that, compared to healthy individuals, patients who meet the criteria for knee osteoarthritis joint replacement surgery have a significantly higher risk of acquired hallux valgus. There were no significant causal relationships found for the remaining results. No significant heterogeneity or multiplicity was observed in all the Mr analyses. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the increased risk of acquired hallux valgus in patients eligible for knee replacement. There is necessary for clinicians to be concerned about the hallux valgus status of patients undergoing knee arthroplasty.

Hip osteoarthritis and occupational mechanical exposures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the association between occupational mechanical exposures and hip osteoarthritis. METHODS: The study was registered in PROSPERO. A systematic literature search was conducted in six databases to identify relevant articles. Two authors independently excluded articles, extracted data, assessed the risk of bias of each included article, and graded the level of evidence. We conducted a meta-analysis using random-effects model and performed a sensitivity analysis stratifying articles based on the risk of bias assessment, study design, and the outcome measurement. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles were eligible for inclusion. The highest pooled odds ratio (OR) was found for combined mechanical exposures [OR 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-2.0], non-neutral postures (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.1), lifting/carrying loads (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9), and climbing stairs (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.2). The range of pooled OR for the remaining mechanical exposures (eg, standing, walking, kneeling, squatting, and sitting) was 0.6-1.6. Grading the quality of evidence, a moderate level of evidence was found for the combined mechanical exposures and for lifting/carrying loads. The remaining exposure categories were graded as having either low or very low levels of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable heterogeneity was observed across the included studies, and high-quality literature using objective exposure measurements is warranted. Despite various limitations affecting the comparability, occupational mechanical exposures seem to influence the likelihood of developing hip osteoarthritis.

The prevalence of bilateral and ipsilateral radiographic osteoarthritis is high in White, Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders presenting for unilateral knee or hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that one-third of patients presenting with unilateral joint pain have contralateral osteoarthritis (OA) at first presentation. Most studies have primarily examined White patient cohorts. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of contralateral joint OA for patients presenting for unilateral total knee (TKA), unicompartmental knee (UKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) among Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and White patients. METHODS: Bilateral radiographic reports at initial presentation of 2,312 subjects who underwent unilateral arthroplasties (332 UKAs, 933 TKAs and 1,047 THAs) were reviewed. The presence of contralateral OA was recorded and compared by racial group and type of arthroplasty performed. Parametric statistical analyses were performed to determine differences between groups. Multivariable analyses were completed for each arthroplasty group to determine the influence on the presence of contralateral OA, presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Contralateral joint OA was present in 86.7%, 90.4% and 70.4% of UKA, TKA and THA patients, respectively. Concurrent hip OA was present in 41.6% and 59.5% of UKA and TKA patients. No racial differences in the prevalence of contralateral knee OA were found for knee arthroplasty patients. White patients (74.6%) had a greater prevalence of contralateral hip OA compared to Asians (66.5%, p = 0.037) amongst THA recipients. Increased age and body mass index were significantly associated with the presence of contralateral knee OA. Increased age, being male and being White were significant contributors for the presence of contralateral hip OA. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of contralateral joint OA and concurrent hip OA is high in all three racial groups. Due to the extensive prevalence of contralateral and concurrent knee and hip OA, bilateral radiographic evaluation should be considered for all patients presenting with unilateral hip or knee pain due to OA.

Hip-sacroiliac joint-spine syndrome in total hip arthroplasty patients.

This study is designed to compare the extent of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) degeneration at total hip arthroplasty (THA) for two pathologies: osteoarthritis of the hip (OA) and osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ON). We also assessed the prevalence of SIJ degeneration in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis or degenerative scoliosis. A total of 138 hips from 138 patients (69 OA and 69 ON) were assessed in this study, including 66 hips affected by OA secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip. The degenerative changes in the SIJ and lumbar spine were evaluated prior to THA using radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans, showing 9 instances of spondylolisthesis and 38 of degenerative scoliosis. The OA group exhibited longer duration from onset to surgery than the ON group. The OA group also included more cases with significant pelvic obliquity (3 degrees or more) and with significant increases in SIJ sclerosis and irregularities. Patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis or degenerative scoliosis were significantly more likely to have SIJ irregularities. The prevalence of SIJ degeneration was higher in cases of THA for OA than for ON. This study also suggests the possibility of Hip-SIJ-Spine syndrome in THA patients with OA.

Urinary incontinence in middle-aged and older women with hip and knee osteoarthritis: An outpatient study of frequency and risk factors.

AIMS: To investigate the frequency and the factors associated with urinary incontinence (UI) in a sample of middle-aged and older women with lower limb osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Women aged 50 years or older with clinical hip/knee OA diagnoses were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Self-reported UI and type, sociodemographic characteristics, medical conditions, physical activity level, anthropometric and body composition measurements, muscle strength, and physical function were assessed. Uni and multivariable logistic regression were used to investigate the factors associated with UI. RESULTS: Among 100 middle-aged and older women (mean 67.27 ± 8.77 SD years), 67% reported UI. In the UI group, 33% reported stress UI, 36% reported urgency UI, and 31% reported mixed UI. In the univariate analysis, age, level of physical activity, pulmonary disease, number of medications, body mass index (BMI), number of deliveries, and activity limitation were significantly associated with UI. In the multivariable analysis, older age (60-69 years OR: 4.91, 95% CI: 1.25-19.36; ≥70 years OR: 8.06, 95% CI: 1.96-33.22), compared to 50-59 years, morbid obesity (OR: 14.10, 95% CI: 1.36-146.48), compared to BMI < 30 kg/m2 , and activity limitation (OR: 5.31, 95% CI: 1.61-17.54), assessed as short physical performance battery ≤8, remained significantly associated with UI. CONCLUSIONS: UI was highly frequent among middle-aged and older women with hip/knee OA. Older age, activity limitation, and morbid obesity were independently associated with UI. Interventions targeting physical function and weight management must be considered to prevent and treat UI in this population.

Genomic heterozygosity is associated with a lower risk of osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Genomic heterozygosity has been shown to confer a health advantage in humans and play a protective role in complex diseases. Given osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly polygenic disease, we set out to determine if an association exists between OA and genomic heterozygosity. RESULTS: End-stage knee and hip OA patients and healthy controls were recruited from the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) population. The Arthritis Research UK Osteoarthritis Genetics (arcOGEN) consortium database was utilized as a replication cohort. DNA was extracted from blood samples and genotyped. Individual rates of observed heterozygosity (HetRate) and heterozygosity excess (HetExcess) relative to the expected were mathematically derived, and standardized to a z-score. Logistic regression modeling was used to examine the association between OA and HetRate or HetExcess. A total of 559 knee and hip OA patients (mean age 66.5 years, body mass index (BMI) 33.7 kg/m2, and 55% females) and 118 healthy controls (mean age 56.4 years, BMI 29.5 kg/m2, and 59% female) were included in the NL cohort analysis. We found that OA had an inverse relationship with HetRate and HetExcess with odds ratios of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.45-0.91) and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.45-0.93) per standard deviation (SD), respectively. The arcOGEN data included 2,019 end-stage knee and hip OA patients and 2,029 healthy controls, validating our findings with HetRate and HetExcess odds ratios of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.56-0.64) and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.40-0.47) per SD, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are the first to clearly show evidence, from two separate cohorts, that reduced genomic heterozygosity confers a risk for the future development of OA.

Associations of current and childhood socioeconomic status and health outcomes amongst patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis in a Mexico City family-practice setting.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of current and childhood socioeconomic status (SES) with patient-reported functional status, quality of life and disability in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Cross-sectional study amongst individuals seeking care for any medical reason in a primary care family-practice clinic in Mexico City. We included individuals with self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, recruited through waiting-room posters and invitations by treating family physicians. We administered a survey using validated Spanish language versions of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Osteoarthritis of Lower Limbs and Quality of Life (AMICAL), and the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI). To estimate current and childhood SES, we collected data on education level and occupation type for both the patient and their parents, as well as using a validated tool to estimate income quintile. RESULTS: We recruited 154 patients and excluded 8 patients. There was a high correlation between outcome scores. Estimated income and education levels were correlated with WOMAC, AMICAL and HAQ-DI scores, and significant differences were found in all scores by occupation type. The associations for current SES variables and outcome scores remained significant independently of age, sex, BMI, and presence of diabetes or hypertension, and were largely explained by current income in mutually adjusted models. Childhood SES - in particular as measured through maternal education - was best correlated with AMICAL scores, though its effect seemed largely mediated by its association with current SES. CONCLUSIONS: Current Socioeconomic Status impacts functional status, quality of life and disability amongst OA patients in Mexico City. The WOMAC, AMICAL and HAQ-DI scores correlate with each other and are all potentially useful markers of disease severity. More research is needed to elucidate the relationships between childhood SES and OA outcomes. Awareness of life-course SES may be useful in identifying patients at risk for worse outcomes.

Anterior and posterior hip osteoarthritis: prevalence and potential value of CT compared to radiographs.

PURPOSE: To determine the added value of computed tomography (CT) to identify severe hip osteoarthritis (OA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective query of all cases of hip or knee arthroplasty planning CTs between January 2018 and March 2022 was performed. Age, sex, and symptoms were collected from the medical record. CTs were evaluated for the degree of osteoarthritis and classified using an adapted Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading system in the anterior, posterior, superior, and superomedial hip. Frontal hip or pelvis radiographs within 1 year of the CT were also graded. RESULTS: There were 265 eligible hips in 178 subjects, age 66 ± 11 (range 31-93) years, with 85/178 (48%) males and 93/178 (52%) females, and 127/265 (48%) right and 138/265 (52%) left hips. The posterior hip joint was the most common location for grade 2/3 OA (20%), followed by superior hip joint (14%). Anterior or posterior grade 2/3 OA occurred concurrently with superior or superomedial grade 2/3 OA in 32/68 (47%) of hips. Grade 2/3 OA was detected on CT more commonly than on XR both in the superior (14 vs 8.6%, P = 0.0016) and superomedial (8.7 vs 4.8%, P = 0.016) hip joint. Of the 71 symptomatic hips, 22 (31%) hips demonstrated either anterior and/or posterior grade 2/3 OA on CT, and 9 (9/22, 41%) of these hips had superior or superomedial grade 0/1 OA. CONCLUSION: CT may be warranted when the patient has pain suggestive of osteoarthritis not detected on radiographs.

Fall risk in patient with dysplastic hip osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: Patients with dysplastic hip osteo arthritis (DHOA) often have a spinopelvic imbalance, and they are more likely to experience falls. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for falls in patients with DHOA, including spinopelvic parameters. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 103 patients with DHOA were included from 2019 to 2021. Fall risk was evaluated using the Fall Risk Index 5 items version (FRI-5). Demographics, functional outcomes, and spinopelvic parameters were compared between the high-risk group (FRI-5 ≥ 6) and the low-risk group (FRI-5 < 6). Multivariate analysis was performed using factors with significant differences in univariate analysis. RESULTS: High-risk and low-risk groups comprised 54 and 49 patients, respectively. Females were significantly more common in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. The Harris Hip Score was significantly lower in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group (p = 0.02). Pelvic incidence, tilt, and obliquity were significantly higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group (p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 3.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-12.64, p = 0.03), pelvic obliquity (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.09-1.71, p < 0.01), and Harris hip score (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99, p = 0.02) were identified as risk factors. CONCLUSION: Female sex, pelvic obliquity, and low Harris hip score were associated with an increased risk of falls among patients with DHOA.

Total hip arthroplasty for adult patients with hip arthritis in Jordan: clinical profiles and patient characteristics.

PURPOSE: Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic surgeries, with hip arthritis being the main indication. This procedure is usually performed when other non-surgical methods fail to relieve patients' hip pain and improve their quality of life. However, limited information exists to identify and compare the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients undergoing this procedure in Jordan. This study aims to identify these demographic and clinical characteristics and compare the findings in terms of gender differences. METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective study that analysed the hospital records of 650 patients undergoing THA in tertiary referral hospital in Jordan over a four-year period from January 2019 to December 2022. The collected data were classified into three categories: demographic characteristics, perioperative variables, and patients' related health profiles. IBM's Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 software (IBM, USA) and descriptive analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the sample studied were female (63.4%). In terms of bleeding profiles, the mean intraoperative blood loss was 542 millilitres. The major indication for THA was degenerative hip arthritis (50.5%), followed by hip dysplasia (40.3%).. Comparing the findings of the two gender groups, females were more likely to have degenerative and dysplastic hip arthritis (221 and 157, p = 0.04 and p = 0.1, respectively) when compared to males. Although males were more likely to lose more blood during the surgery (557 ml vs. 533 ml, p = 0.33, females needed more blood transfusions both during (21 vs. 6 patients, p = 0.12) and after the surgery (57 vs. 16 patients, p = 0.006). Furthermore, females were more likely to have comorbidities such hypertension (293 vs. 179 patients, p = 0.20), and hypothyroidism (313 vs 187, p = 0.36), and diabetes (85 vs. 38 patients, p = 0.15), among many other health conditions. However, in the study sample, male smokers outnumbered female smokers (132 vs. 63). CONCLUSION: Gender highly impacted the immediate surgical outcomes of patients who underwent THA. Females were more likely to need blood transfusions both during and after the surgery and had lower post-operative haemoglobin readings. In addition, females had more comorbidities and degenerative hip osteoarthritis. We believe that raising awareness about comorbidity management, preoperative smoking cessation, and perioperative blood transfusion management can improve medical and surgical outcomes.

The Impact of Frailty and Deprivation on the Likelihood of Receiving Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty among People with Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Among people with hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA), increasing deprivation is associated with reduced likelihood of receiving hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA). OBJECTIVES: To assess whether higher levels of frailty in the most deprived neighbourhoods explains the association between greater neighbourhood deprivation and reduced likelihood of receiving THA and TKA among people with hip and knee OA. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Linked primary and secondary care electronic medical records and national mortality data. PARTICIPANTS: 104,913 individuals with incident hip OA and 216,420 with incident knee OA. MEASUREMENTS: Frailty was assessed using a frailty index and categorised as fit, mild, moderate, and severe frailty. Neighbourhood deprivation was assessed using the index of multiple deprivation (IMD). RESULTS: Compared to those in neighbourhoods in the least deprived quintile of IMD, those in neighbourhoods in the fourth and fifth quintile of IMD (most deprived), respectively, were less likely to receive THA, adjusted subhazard ratio (95% CI), 0.90 (0.87, 0.93) and 0.77 (0.74, 0.80), over a mean follow up of 4.4 years, with similar results for TKA. Higher levels of frailty at OA diagnosis were associated also with reduced likelihood of receiving THA and TKA. The association, however, between deprivation and likelihood of receiving THA and TKA could not be explained by increased levels of frailty among those living in the most deprived areas. CONCLUSIONS: Further work is needed to understand why those in the most deprived areas are less likely to receive THA and TKA.

A Higher Skeletal Muscle Mass and Lower Adiposity Phenotype Is Associated with Better Cardiometabolic Control in Adults with Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: Results from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to (1) characterize cardiometabolic factors in self-reported hip and knee osteoarthritis (OAD) across four body composition phenotypes defined by muscle mass and adiposity, and (2) associate risk factors with diabetes and hypertension (HTN). METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-17 (n = 4996) stratified participants into four groups: low skeletal muscle mass/high waist circumference (Low-SMM/High-WC), low SMM/low WC (Low-SMM/Low-WC), high SMM/high WC (High-SMM/High-WC), and high SMM/low WC (reference group). Each group was further divided into subgroups with or without diagnosed hip or knee OAD. The main outcomes were fasting plasma glucose, systolic (SBP)/diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (continuous outcomes), and other secondary factors such as cardiovascular risk (CVR). RESULTS: In the hip OAD subgroup, the Low-SMM/High-WC groups had significantly higher SBP versus the reference value (145 vs. 127 mmHg, p < 0.0001, diff +18 mmHg). In the knee OAD subgroup, the Low-SMM/High-WC groups had significantly higher SBP versus the reference value (141 vs. 134 mmHg, p < 0.0001, diff +7 mmHg). The SBP showed a significant interaction between the group and OAD diagnosis (p = 0.007 hip OAD; p < 0.0001 knee OAD). CONCLUSIONS: Hip and knee OAD associates with elevated SBP/DBP in older adults. OAD groups showed an OR above 2 for diabetes, 2.7 for HTN, 4.5 for metabolic syndrome, and over 2 for moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk. OAD interacts substantially with cardiometabolic factors, especially in low muscle mass/high adiposity phenotypes. Lifestyle optimization of physical activity and nutrition to preserve muscle mass and mitigate adiposity is essential for cardiometabolic health promotion in OAD patients.

Association of knee and hip osteoarthritis with the risk of falls and fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Studies evaluating the association of knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) with falls and fractures have inconsistent findings. We aimed to investigate associations of symptomatic and radiographic knee and hip OA with risk of falls, recurrent falls, and fractures. METHODS: We conducted an electronic search of databases from inception to February 2023. Two authors independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tool in eligible studies. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. RESULTS: Of 17 studies included (n = 862849), 2 had a high risk of bias. Among studies that evaluated falls or fractures as outcomes, 7/8 (87.5%) and 5/11 (45.5%) were self-reported, respectively. Both symptomatic knee and hip OA were associated with increased risk of recurrent falls (knee: OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.18; hip: OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.75) but not falls or fractures. Radiographic knee OA increased risk of falls (OR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.59) and did not significantly increase risk of recurrent falls (OR = 1.39, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.97) or fractures (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.52). Radiographic hip OA decreased the risk of recurrent falls (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.96) but had no statistically significant association with fractures (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.71). CONCLUSION: Symptomatic knee and hip OA were both associated with an increased risk of recurrent falls, and radiographic knee OA was associated with an increased risk of falls. No statistically significant associations of radiographic and symptomatic knee or hip OA with fractures were found.

Burden of osteoarthritis in the Netherlands: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of societal burden of osteoarthritis (OA) in the Netherlands. METHODS: Medline (via Ovid) and Embase databases were searched in September 2022 for all publications providing prevalence/incidence, cost or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data of OA (all sites) in the Netherlands. RESULTS: Twenty-eight original studies were included in this scoping review; twelve reporting prevalence/incidence data of OA, seven reporting data on the economic burden of OA and twelve reporting HRQoL data of patients with OA. Most of the available data were from Dutch national cohorts. The prevalence of knee OA ranged from 6% to 18% across studies, from 4% to 7% for hip OA and from 12% to 56% for hand OA. OA was shown to be associated with impairment in work participation and long-term requirement of health care utilization, translating into substantial medical costs and societal costs of lost productivity. All studies comparing HRQoL among persons with OA with control persons showed a significantly lower HRQoL in patients with OA after adjustment for age, sex, and various risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: OA is a highly prevalent disease in the Dutch population and is responsible for a significant economic and health burden.

Sex-Based Differences in the Utilization of Shoulder, Hip, and Knee Arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Studies show that females have a higher prevalence of osteoarthritis, worse symptoms, but lower rates of joint replacement surgery (JRS). The reason for this remains unknown. METHODS: A database of JRS candidates was created for patients seen in 2019 at an academic center. Demographics, Kellgren-Lawrence grades, symptom duration, visual analogue pain score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and nonsurgical treatments were collected. Patients who were offered but declined surgery were invited to focus groups. Two independent sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and chi-square tests were used for continuous, scored, and categorical variables, respectively, with two-tailed significance <0.05. Qualitative, code-based analysis was performed for the focus groups. RESULTS: The cohort included 321 patients (81 shoulder, 59 hip, and 181 knee) including 199 females (62.0%). There were no differences in proportions of females versus males who underwent JRS or in nonsurgical treatments. Female shoulder arthritis patients were older, had a higher visual analogue pain score, and had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index. In focus groups, males prioritized waiting for technology advancements to return to an active lifestyle, whereas females experienced negative provider interactions, self-advocated for treatment, concerned about pain, and believed that their sex affected their treatment. DISCUSSION: We found equal utilization of JRS at our institution. However, female patients experienced unique barriers to surgery.

The impact of moderate to severe osteoarthritis on the physical performance and quality of life: a cross-sectional study in Greek patients (PONOS study).

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) represents a leading cause of disability with limited data available for the Greek patients. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of moderate to severe symptomatic hip/knee OA under treatment on physical performance and quality of life. METHODS: A non-interventional, cross-sectional, epidemiological study of patients with moderate/severe OA, recruited in a single visit from 9 expert sites in Athens, Greece. Assessments were based on commonly used outcome scales: the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS), the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the EuroQol-5-Dimensions 3-levels questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L). RESULTS: One hundred sixty-four patients were included in the analysis. Most of the patients were females (78.7%), with a mean age of 70.5 ± 10.2 years. Comorbidities were reported by 87.2% of patients with hypertension being the most frequently reported (53.7%), followed by dyslipidemia (31.1%), obesity (24.4%) and diabetes mellitus (23.2%). Paracetamol was the most common treatment (96%), followed by NSAIDs (75%), opioids (50%) and locally applied medications (42.7%). Both hip and knee OA patients showed substantial deterioration in health-related quality of life (QoL) and health status as reflected by the HOOS/KOOS (Function in sport and recreation was the most impaired subscale, followed by Hip- or Knee-related QoL). The mean EQ-5D-3L index score was 0.396 ± 0.319 and the mean EQ-VAS score was 52.1 ± 1.9. When compared indirectly to the local population norms our OA population had worse QoL indices. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the functional disability and impaired QoL of Greek patients with moderate/severe hip/knee OA under treatment emphasizing the need for novel treatments that will reduce the burden of the disease.

The burden of osteoarthritis: Is it a rising problem?

The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the current status of osteoarthritis (OA) as one of the most common joint disorders worldwide. Despite being the 11th cause of disability globally, there has been an increase in the prevalence, annual incidence, and years lived with disability of OA, particularly in developed and developing countries. Erosive hand OA, which affects approximately 10% of the general population, has been associated with a higher clinical burden compared to non-erosive hand OA. Patients with knee and hip OA, but not hand OA, are also at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Furthermore, OA has a significant contribution to healthcare costs in most countries. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the disease burden of OA patients due to limited access to medical and surgical treatment. With increasing life expectancy and the aging of the global population, the burden of OA is expected to worsen. Therefore, this review highlights the importance of improving population and policymaker awareness of risk factors, such as obesity and injury, as well as early intervention and management of OA to control the future burden of the disease.

Comorbidity in incident osteoarthritis cases and matched controls using electronic health record data.

BACKGROUND: Comorbidities are common in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to determine the association of a wide range of previously diagnosed comorbidities in adults with newly diagnosed OA compared with matched controls without OA. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted. The data were derived from an electronic health record database that contains the medical records of patients from general practices throughout the Netherlands. Incident OA cases were defined as patients with one or more diagnostic codes recorded in their medical records that correspond to knee, hip, or other/peripheral OA. Additionally, the first OA code had to be recorded between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2019. The date of cases' first OA diagnosis was defined as the index date. Cases were matched (by age, sex, and general practice) to up to 4 controls without a recorded OA diagnosis. Odds ratios were derived for each 58 comorbidities separately by dividing the comorbidity prevalence of cases by that of their matched controls at the index date. RESULTS: 80,099 incident OA patients were identified of whom 79,937 (99.8%) were successfully matched with 318,206 controls. OA cases had higher odds for 42 of the 58 studied comorbidities compared with matched controls. Musculoskeletal diseases and obesity showed large associations with incident OA. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the comorbidities under study had higher odds in patients with incident OA at the index date. While previously known associations were confirmed in this study, some associations were not described earlier.

Trajectories of physical function and quality of life in people with osteoarthritis: results from a 10-year population-based cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To identify long-term trajectories of physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (HKOA) and the sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors associated with different trajectories. METHODS: Participants with HKOA from the EpiDoC study, a 10-year follow-up (2011-2021) population-based cohort, were considered. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables were collected at baseline in a structured interview and clinical appointment. Physical function and HRQoL were evaluated with the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and EuroQoL, respectively, at baseline and the three follow-ups. Group-based trajectory modeling identified physical function and HRQoL trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression analyzed the associations between the covariates of interest and trajectory assignment (p < 0.05). RESULTS: We included 983 participants with HKOA. We identified three trajectories for each outcome: "consistently low disability" (32.0%), "slightly worsening moderate disability" (47.0%), and "consistently high disability" (21.0%) for physical function; "consistently high HRQoL" (18.3%), "consistently moderate HRQoL" (48.4%) and "consistently low HRQoL" (33.4%) for HRQoL. Age ≥ 75 years, female sex, multimorbidity, and high baseline clinical severity were associated with higher risk of assignment to poorer physical function and HRQoL trajectories. Participants with high education level and with regular physical activity had a lower risk of assignment to a poor trajectory. Unmanageable pain levels increased the risk of assignment to the "consistently moderate HRQoL" trajectory. CONCLUSION: Although the trajectories of physical function and HRQoL remained stable over 10 years, approximately 70% of people with HKOA maintained moderate or low physical function and HRQoL over this period. Modifiable risk factors like physical activity, multimorbidity and clinical severity were associated with poorer physical function and HRQoL trajectories. These risk factors may be considered in tailored healthcare interventions.

Healthcare utilisation and mortality in people with osteoarthritis in the UK: findings from a national primary care database.

BACKGROUND: The burden of osteoarthritis (OA) in UK primary care has not been investigated thoroughly. AIM: To estimate healthcare use and mortality in people with OA (overall and joint specific). DESIGN AND SETTING: A matched cohort study of adults with an incident diagnosis of OA in primary care were selected for the study using UK national Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) electronic records. METHOD: Healthcare utilisation was measured as the annual average number of primary care consultations and admissions to hospital after the index date for any cause and all-cause mortality data in 221 807 people with OA and an equal number of controls (with no OA diagnosis) who were matched to the case patients by age (standard deviation 2 years), sex, practice, and year of registration. The associations between OA and healthcare utilisation and all-cause mortality were estimated using multinomial logistic regression and Cox regression, respectively, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 61 years and 58% were female. In the OA group, the median number of primary care consultations per year after the index date was 10.91 compared with 9.43 in the non-OA control group (P = 0.001) OA was associated with an increased risk of GP consultation and admission to hospital. The adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.85 to 1.93) for any OA, 2.09 (95% CI = 2.01 to 2.19) for knee OA, 2.08 (95% CI = 1.95 to 2.21) for hip OA, and 1.80 (95% CI = 1.58 to 2.06) for wrist/hand OA, compared with the respective non-OA control group. CONCLUSION: People with OA had increased rates of GP consultations, admissions to hospital, and all-cause mortality that varied across joint sites.