Short-term pain reduction after low-dose radiotherapy in patients with severe osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joint: a cohort study and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) for pain reduction in osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequently used treatment in Germany and Eastern European countries. The evidence on the effects of LDRT on pain in patients with OA remains unclear. This study evaluated the effect of LDRT on pain in patients with severe OA of the hip or knee joint. METHODS: This prospective study included a total of 16 joints in 12 patients (4 hips and 12 knees). The inclusion criteria were: patients older than 50 years, severe OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade III-IV) of the hip or knee joint, patients not responding to conservative treatment and patients who are inoperable or not willing to undergo surgery. The joint was irradiated with a total dose of 6.0 Gray. The Numeric Rating Scale for pain (NRS-pain) and patient-reported outcome measures were obtained at pre-, 6, 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks post-radiation. A decrease of two points on the NRS-pain was defined as clinical relevant. RESULTS: The median age of the included patients was 74 years (range 58-89). In 50% of the joints (n = 8, 3 hip and 5 knee joints), a clinical relevant difference in pain at 6 weeks post-radiation was observed. This clinical relevant difference decreased to 25% at 52 weeks post-radiation. CONCLUSION: LDRT showed a clinical relevant pain relief at 6 weeks after radiotherapy. The long-term effect of LDRT, however, was limited. A randomized placebo-controlled trial is necessary to assess the effect of LDRT on pain in patients with OA of the hip or knee joint.

Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary Clinical Pathway for Elderly Patients With Hip Fracture: A Multicenter Comparative Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The use of a multidisciplinary clinical pathway (MCP) for patients with hip fracture tends to be more effective than usual care (UC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an MCP approach on time to surgery, length of stay, postoperative complications, and 30-day mortality, compared to UC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients aged 50 years or older with a proximal hip fracture who underwent surgery in one of the 6 hospitals in the Limburg trauma region of the Netherlands in 2012. Data such as demographics, process outcome measures, and clinical outcome were collected. RESULTS: This study included a total of 1193 patients (665 and 528 patients in the MCP and UC groups, respectively). There were no differences in patient demographics present. Time to surgery was significantly shorter in the MCP compared to the UC group (19.2 vs 24.4 hours, P < .01). The mean length of stay was 10 versus 12 days (P < .01). In the MCP group, significantly lower rates of postoperative complications were observed and significantly more patients were institutionalized than in the UC group. Mortality within 30 days after admission was comparable between the groups (overall mortality 6%). CONCLUSION: An MCP approach is associated with reduced time to surgery, postoperative complications, and length of stay, without a significant difference in 30-day mortality. The institutionalization rate was significantly higher in the MCP group.