Osteoarthritis and functional disability: results of a cross sectional study among primary care patients in Germany

Contemporary Patterns of Financial Toxicity Among Patients With Rheumatologic Disease in the United States

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Rheumatologic diseases encompass a group of disabling conditions that often require expensive clinical treatments and limit an individual's ability to work and maintain a steady income. The purpose of this study was to evaluate contemporary patterns of financial toxicity among patients with rheumatologic disease and assess for any associated demographic factors.

METHODS

The cross-sectional National Health Interview Survey was queried from 2013 to 2018 for patients with rheumatologic disease. Patient demographics and self-reported financial metrics were collected or calculated including financial hardship from medical bills, financial distress, food insecurity, and cost-related medication (CRM) nonadherence. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess for factors associated with increased financial hardship.

RESULTS

During the study period, 20.2% of 41,502 patients with rheumatologic disease faced some degree of financial hardship due to medical bills, 55.0% of whom could not pay those bills. Rheumatologic disease was associated with higher odds of financial hardship from medical bills (adjusted odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-1.36; p < 0.001) with similar trends for patients suffering from financial distress, food insecurity, and CRM nonadherence (p < 0.001 for all). Financial hardship among patients with rheumatologic disease was associated with being younger, male, Black, and uninsured ( p < 0.001 for all).

CONCLUSION

In this nationally representative study, we found that a substantial proportion of adults with rheumatologic disease in the United States struggled with paying their medical bills and suffered from food insecurity and CRM nonadherence. National health care efforts and guided public policy should be pursued to help ease the burden of financial hardship for these patients.

Viscosupplementation Is Effective for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis in the Hip: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To assess the efficacy of intra-articular viscosupplementation as a therapeutic intervention for hip osteoarthritis (OA), as well as to assess the duration of efficacy, effect of dose, composition and number of injections of the viscosupplement, and the incidence of adverse effects.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review using the literature search from the following databases: Embase, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the Modified Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Random-effects meta-analysis and mixed-effects subgroup analysis were carried out, but due to the high heterogeneity, low level of evidence, and high risk of bias of the included studies after analyzing the data, weighted means and pooled estimates have not been provided. Instead, we have provided a subjective synthesis of the results.

RESULTS

Forty studies were included in the analysis from an initial search of 3,265 studies, with data from a total of 3,350 patients. The level of available evidence was low with an overall high risk of bias. Nearly all studies showed a reduction in mean pain at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months of follow-up, as well as at the end point, and an improvement in mean patient-reported function was also seen at these time points. However, heterogeneity was extremely high at all time points and remained despite attempts at removing outliers. Subgroup analyses looking at the effects of dose, volume, composition of viscosupplement, and number of injections were carried out, but substantial heterogeneity still remained. There were no lasting adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Weak evidence suggests that viscosupplementation improves patient-reported pain and function at end point compared to baseline, regardless of dose, volume, composition, and number of injections. However, due to the high heterogeneity, low level of evidence, and high risk of bias in the current available literature, the strength of our conclusions is limited.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of level I to IV studies.

Efficacy and safety of tanezumab, NSAIDs, and placebo in patients with moderate to severe hip or knee osteoarthritis and a history of depression, anxiety, or insomnia: post-hoc analysis of phase 3 trials

Objective: Treatment outcomes for chronic pain can be poor in patients with depression, anxiety, or insomnia. This analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous tanezumab, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and placebo in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and a history of these conditions using data from three phase 3 studies.Methods: A post-hoc analysis of data from two pooled placebo-controlled studies and one NSAID-controlled study of subcutaneous tanezumab. All patients had moderate to severe knee or hip OA that was inadequately controlled with standard-of-care analgesics. Efficacy outcomes were least-squares mean change from baseline to Week 16 in Western Ontario McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) Pain, WOMAC Physical Function, Patient's global assessment of OA, and EQ-5D-5L scores. Results were summarized for patients with and without a history of depression, anxiety, or insomnia at baseline.Results: 1545 patients were treated in the pooled placebo-controlled studies (history of depression, 12%; anxiety, 8%; insomnia, 10%; any, 23%) and 2996 in the NSAID-controlled study (16%, 11%, 13%, 28%, respectively). In groups with positive histories, 38-80% took antidepressant or anxiolytic medications at baseline. Within treatments, largely similar improvements in efficacy outcomes were observed in patients with and without a history of depression, anxiety, or insomnia; the types of treatment-emergent adverse events were similar.Conclusions: Patients with OA and a history of depression, anxiety, or insomnia did not appear to experience reduced efficacy outcomes or an altered safety profile in response to tanezumab or NSAID treatment as compared with those without. NCT02697773; NCT02709486; NCT02528188.

[Quality of care in family practice and quality of life from the point of view of older patients with gon- and coxosteoarthritis - results from the MobilE-TRA cohort study]

BACKGROUND

A central role in the care of patients with osteoarthritis has the family practice. The aim of this analysis is to assess the association between the quality of family practice care from the osteoarthritis patients' perspectives and their health-related quality of life, disease-specific symptoms, and physical function.

METHOD

111 patients suffering from cox- and/or gonosteoarthritis at the age of 65 or older had been recruited from family practices in Saxony and Bavaria. The participants received a paper-based questionnaire that assessed their sociodemographic data, the patients' level of depression (PHQ-9), physical activity, health-related quality of life (EQ-5D with EQ-VAS), as well as the quality of care in family practice from the patients' perspectives (PACIC short form). Furthermore, disease-specific symptoms (pain, stiffness) and physical function of patients with osteoarthritis were investigated (WOMAC). The analysis was performed with multiple linear regression models.

RESULTS

A greater extent of depression was associated with stronger pain (beta=0,378; 95% CI [0,180; 0,576]), more stiffness of the joints (beta=0,223; 95% CI [0,135; 0,310]), and worse physical function (beta=1,628; 95% CI [0,908; 2,348]). The analysis also showed that older (beta=-0,901; 95% CI [-1,705; -0,097]), more depressive (beta=-1,654; 95% CI [-2,820; -0,488]) osteoarthritis patients were associated with a lower health-related quality of life. A statistically significant association between the quality of family practice care from the patients' perspectives and their health-related quality of life, disease-specific symptoms, and physical function could not be detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous literature provides evidence for an association between the quality of care of patients with a chronic illness and their quality of life or other health outcomes. The results of this research work did not align with these findings. Since depression was associated with decreased health-related quality of life and more severe complaints of patients suffering from osteoarthritis, potential depressive comorbidity should not be disregarded in the health care of this patient group and should be treated if necessary.

Sensory Innervation of Human Bone: An Immunohistochemical Study to Further Understand Bone Pain

Skeletal diseases and their surgical treatment induce severe pain. The innervation density of bone potentially explains the severe pain reported. Animal studies concluded that sensory myelinated A∂-fibers and unmyelinated C-fibers are mainly responsible for conducting bone pain, and that the innervation density of these nerve fibers was highest in periosteum. However, literature regarding sensory innervation of human bone is scarce. This observational study aimed to quantify sensory nerve fiber density in periosteum, cortical bone, and bone marrow of axial and appendicular human bones using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis demonstrated that the total number of sensory and sympathetic nerve fibers was highest in periosteum, followed by bone marrow, and cortical bone for all bones studied. Bone from thoracic vertebral bodies contained most sensory nerve fibers, followed by the upper extremity, lower extremity, and parietal neurocranium. The number of nerve fibers declined with age and did not differ between male and female specimens. Sensory nerve fibers were organized as a branched network throughout the periosteum. The current results provide an explanation for the severe pain accompanying skeletal disease, fracture, or surgery. Further, the results could provide more insight into mechanisms that generate and maintain skeletal pain and might aid in developing new treatment strategies. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the innervation of human bone and assesses the effect of age, gender, bone compartment and type of bone on innervation density. The presented data provide an explanation for the severity of bone pain arising from skeletal diseases and their surgical treatment.

Higher Disability in Women Than Men Scheduled for Total Knee Arthroplasty for Degenerative Osteoarthritis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From India

Objective

Higher level impairments and activity limitation among those scheduled for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is known. Sex differences in participation restriction which is the final domain of disablement pathway is not known. No data from developing countries exist on sex differences in disability levels at the time of TKA.

Methods

In a cross‐sectional analysis of 240 patients (188 women; 72 men) scheduled for TKA, impairment (pain, symptoms, quadricep muscle strength, and knee range of motion [ROM]), activity limitation (self‐reported and objective performance‐based measurements), and participation restriction were compared. Multivariable regression analyses were used to adjust for key sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Associations between impairments and participation restriction were analyzed.

Results

Compared with men, women were more likely to have higher levels of impairment (knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome pain score adjusted mean difference [aMD]: −6.9 [95% confidence interval {CI} −13.7 to −0.18]; flexion ROM of less than 100° adjusted odds ratio: 5.7 [95% CI 1.6‐20.3]; and 36% lower muscle strength [95% CI 24%‐49%]) and lower objectively measured functional ability (walking speed aMD: −0.12 m/s [95% CI −0.23 to −0.02]; stair climbing time aMD: 9.5 s [95% CI 1.5‐17.5]). Participation restriction was higher in women compared with men. Of the impairment measures (pain, ROM, and muscle strength), pain contributed to participation restriction in both sexes.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated higher levels of disability in women than in men at the time of TKA. Effect of pain on participation restriction was higher compared with muscle strength and ROM. Evidence of delay in decision‐making to undergo TKA and reasons for delay need to be studied specifically in the context of lower middle–income countries.

An understanding of bone pain: A narrative review

Skeletal pathologies are often accompanied by bone pain, which has negative effects on the quality of life and functional status of patients. Bone pain can be caused by a wide variety of injuries and diseases including (poorly healed) fractures, bone cancer, osteoarthritis and also iatrogenic by skeletal interventions. Orthopedic interventions are considered to be the most painful surgical procedures overall. Two major groups of medication currently used to attenuate bone pain are NSAIDs and opioids. However, these systemic drugs frequently introduce adverse events, emphasizing the need for alternative therapies that are directed at the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying bone pain. The periosteum, cortical bone and bone marrow are mainly innervated by sensory A-delta fibers and C-fibers. These fibers are mostly present in the periosteum rendering this structure most sensitive to nociceptive stimuli. A-delta fibers and C-fibers can be activated upon mechanical distortion, acidic environment and increased intramedullary pressure. After activation, these fibers can be sensitized by inflammatory mediators, phosphorylation of acid-sensing ion channels and cytokine receptors, or by upregulation of transcription factors. This can result in a change of pain perception such that normally non-noxious stimuli are now perceived as noxious. Pathological conditions in the bone can produce neurotrophic factors that bind to receptors on A-delta fibers and C-fibers. These fibers then start to sprout and increase the innervation density of the bone, making it more sensitive to nociceptive stimuli. In addition, repetitive painful stimuli cause neurochemical and electrophysiological alterations in afferent sensory neurons in the spinal cord, which leads to central sensitization, and can contribute to chronic bone pain. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying bone pain in different skeletal injuries and diseases is important for the development of alternative, targeted pain treatments. These pain mechanism-based alternatives have the potential to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from bone pain without introducing undesirable systemic effects.

Efficacy and Safety of Intra-articular Injections of Hyaluronic Acid Combined With Polydeoxyribonucleotide in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective

To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) combined with polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) in patients with knee osteoarthritis in comparison with that of HA alone.

Methods

The current single-center, prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study was conducted in 36 patients with knee osteoarthritis at our medical institution. All the eligible patients (n=30) were equally assigned to two treatment arms (trial group ‘HA+PDRN’ and control group ‘HA’). For efficacy assessment, the patients were evaluated for the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Knee Society Scores (KSS), all of which served as efficacy outcome measures. We monitored time-dependent changes in efficacy outcome measures at baseline and 1, 3 and 6 months. Subsequently, we compared differences in changes in efficacy outcome measures at 6 months from baseline between the two groups. Moreover, we assessed the safety based on the treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and any other complications serving as safety outcome measures.

Results

There were significant differences in changes in the VAS scores, the WOMAC scores in all domains, except ‘Stiffness’, the total WOMAC scores, and the KSS scores in all the domains at 6 months from baseline between the two groups (p<0.05). In our series, there were no TEAEs, ADRs, and any other complications.

Conclusion

Intra-articular injections of HA combined with PDRN can also be considered in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. However, further large-scale and multi-center studies are required to demonstrate the potential of the proposed combination.

Anxiety and depression in patients with osteoarthritis: impact and management challenges

Background

Anxiety and depression are common psychological comorbidities that impact the quality of life (QoL) of patients. In this systematic review, we 1) determined the impact of anxiety and depression on outcomes in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 2) summarized unique challenges these comorbidities present to current OA management.

Patients and methods

A systematic literature search was performed using the OVID Medline and EMBASE databases until April 2016. Full-text research articles published in English from the year 2000 onward with a sample size of >100 were included in this review. Eligible research articles were reviewed and the following data were extracted: study author(s), year of publication, study design, and key findings.

Results

A total of 38 studies were included in the present review. The present study found that both anxiety and/or depression were highly prevalent among patients with OA. Patients with OA diagnosed with these comorbidities experienced more pain, had frequent hospital visits, took more medication, and reported less optimal outcomes. Management strategies in the form of self-care, telephone support, audio/video education programs, and new pharmacotherapies were reported with favorable results.

Conclusion

Anxiety and depression adversely impact the QoL of patients with OA. Physicians/caregivers are highly recommended to consider these comorbidities in patients with OA. Ultimately, a holistic individualized management approach is necessary to improve patient outcomes.

How is the experience of pain measured in older, community-dwelling people with osteoarthritis? A systematic review of the literature

The objective of the study was to perform a systematic review to identify and appraise outcome measures and measures of pain that are used to assess the experience of pain by older people with osteoarthritis, and to assess whether these measures are effective at capturing the multidimensional nature of the experience of this pain. A systematic review of five electronic databases from January 1996 to March 2013 was done. Inclusion criteria were cohort/observational and cross-sectional studies; specific diagnosis of OA; employed outcome measures of pain and/or health and/or quality of life which included questions about pain; and considered older adults. Articles were reviewed for methodological quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. A total of 14 publications met the inclusion criteria, and 11 discrete studies were included in the review. The studies used 21 different outcome measures, utilizing 13 measures of pain. Sensory, affective and cognitive dimensions of pain were captured by the measures, albeit studies predominantly measured intensity or severity alone. Measures of pain used in epidemiological studies do not adequately capture the multidimensional nature of the experience of pain in osteoarthritis. There is a fraught complexity in the multidimensionality of the experience of pain in osteoarthritis, and studies exploring osteoarthritis pain in older people should attempt to capture this multidimensionality by employing multiple valid and reliable outcome measures that capture specific dimensions of the pain experience.

The stability of coping strategies in older adults with osteoarthritis and the ability of these strategies to predict changes in depression, disability, and pain

OBJECTIVES

Given the chronically painful, incurable nature of osteoarthritis, effective cognitive and behavioral coping strategies may be critical for older adults with the disease. Little is known about how and why coping changes over time, nor about stability of coping strategies in persons with osteoarthritis. The aims of this work were to examine the structure of coping in older adults with osteoarthritis, the association of coping strategies with well-being, the stability of coping over time, and its association with changes in well-being over the same period.

METHOD

In a cross-sectional study, 199 older adults with osteoarthritis of the knee were assessed at baseline and two-years' follow-up. Items from two coping scales were factor analyzed, and Pearson's correlations and paired-samples t-tests assessed relative and absolute stability of the resultant coping strategies. CFA assessed the stability of the factor structure itself. Ordinary least-squares regression analyses examined the impact of change in coping on well-being.

RESULTS

A five-factor coping solution emerged: stoicism, refocusing, problem-solving, wishful-thinking, and emotion-focused coping. The factor structure showed stability over the two-year period. Absolute stability of strategies varied, indicating that change in coping styles was possible.

CONCLUSION

Changes in coping style predicts future well-being; however, coping remains malleable with age and maladaptive strategies can be effectively targeted. Greater knowledge of the utility or maladaptive nature of a given strategy may help guide decisions about interventions for patients with osteoarthritis and encourage more adaptive coping styles.

Negative affect in systemic sclerosis

Negative affect appears frequently in rheumatic diseases, but studies about their importance and prevalence in systemic sclerosis patients are scarce, and the results are inconclusive separately. We conducted a comprehensive search on April 2013 of PubMed, Medline, and PsycINFO databases to identify original research studies published. A total of 48 studies were included in this systematic review. We found negative emotions have very high levels in these patients, compared to both healthy population other chronic rheumatic patients assessed with the same instruments and cutoffs. Depression has been, of the three negative emotions that we approach to in this review, the most widely studied in systemic sclerosis, followed by anxiety. Despite the fact that anger is a common emotion in these diseases is poorly studied. Methodologic issues limited the ability to draw strong conclusions from studies of predictors. Disease-specific symptoms (swollen joints, gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms and digital ulcers) and factors related to physical appearance were associated with negative emotions. Interdisciplinary care and biopsychosocial approach would have a great benefit in the clinical management of these patients.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of primary health care physicians in the management of osteoarthritis in Al-Jouf province, Saudi Arabia

Background:

Primary health care (PHC) physicians manage most patients with osteoarthritis (OA). In Saudi Arabia, very little is known about the management of OA by PHC physicians. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of PHC physicians in the management of OA.

Materials and Methods:

During October 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on physicians who were practicing at the primary care centers in AlJouf province of Saudi Arabia. The physicians were asked to fill a valid questionnaire comprised of 35 closed ended questions, 6 items about their socio-demographic characters, and a very well modified 29 questions about their knowledge, attitude, and practice in the management of OA. Data was processed and analysed using SPSS (version 16) program, the level of significance was set as Chi-square test was applied for analysis of categorical data.

Results:

Response rate (77/90=85.6% yielded 77 questionnaires for analysis. The mean ± SD age of respondents was 38 (12.3) years. Majority of the physicians surveyed, 58 (75.3%) considered OA as a common health problem in Saudi Arabia. Only 28 (36.4%) physicians surveyed will achieve continuity of care for OA, whereas more than half (n=44; 57.1%) will refer OA immediately or later to the specialists. The proportion of continuity of care for OA among physicians with diplomas was more than that found among general practitioner (57.1% vs 34.1%; <.05). Only 30 (39%) of physicians appeared to know the radiographic changes associated with OA. 21 (27.3%) of physicians manage an average of 5-10 patients with OA per week. Almost 3/4 ^th of the physicians (n=57; 74%) prescribe NSAIDs, and only (n=14; 18.2%) prescribe acetaminophen for OA. Less than 1/5 ^th of the physicians surveyed (n=12; 15.6%) prescribe herbal medicine for OA. Almost all physicians subscribe to regular training programs about OA.

Conclusions:

Appropriate attitude with lack of knowledge was found, and practice of our physicians with regards to this disorder appeared inappropriate. More education focusing on the disorder is recommended.

[Association between arthritis, functional disability and quality of life using a structural equation]

OBJECTIVES

To establish a conceptual model that links arthritis, functional disability in activities of daily living, and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

A multicentre, cross-sectional, observation study was performed. The location of the arthritis (presence/absence) was recorded. Disability was measured using the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index and the QoL determined using the EQ-5D-3 Level questionnaire. The relationship between the arthritis, disability, and the QoL was evaluated using the structural equation model (SEM).

RESULTS

PATIENTS

965 patients with arthritis (mean age=64 years, with 75% females). Arthritis: mean areas affected: 2.8. Areas most frequently affected: knees (67%); lumbar spine (60%) and cervical spine (45%). QoL: The majority of patients did not mention serious problems in the five domains assessed. Disability: «other activities» (mean=1.2); «reach» (mean=1.1) and «walking» (mean=1.0) were the categories that demonstrated greater disability. The SEM showed arthritis, disability and QoL as associated latent variables. Although 92% of the QoL explained the disability, only 5% of the disability was due to the presence/absence of arthritis. The global model that describes arthritis as a cause of disability, and disability was affecting the QoL, had a reasonable goodness of fit (CMIN/DF=5.42; RMR=0.026; RMSEA=0.069).

CONCLUSIONS

Functional disability can explain the decrease in QoL. In theory, arthritis is closely related with disability and QoL, but the model did not mange to fully explain this link. As statistical techniques required good measurement models to correctly determine relationships, conventional medical records seem to be insufficient for this purpose. Other valid measurements of arthritis are needed to provide tests of its direct effect on disability and QoL.

Psychological interventions for patients with rheumatic diseases and anxiety or depression

The prevalence of clinical anxiety and clinical depression in rheumatic diseases is about twice the prevalence seen in the general population. At a milder level, the occurrence of psychological distress that does not fulfil diagnostic criteria of anxiety and depression is even higher. Evidence indicates that this high prevalence is multifactorial. Correlational studies suggest that possible factors for anxiety and depression include the suffering accompanying somatic symptoms, functional limitations, pro-inflammatory cytokines, helplessness due to the uncontrollable, unpredictable and progressive nature of the disease, and other factors associated with having a chronic disease. This article reviews the prevalence and diagnosis of anxiety and depression in rheumatic diseases and it examines the contents and the impact of psychological interventions to address these difficulties for patients.

The association between radiographic severity and pre-operative function in patients undergoing primary knee replacement for osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) and pre-operative function in patients undergoing primary knee replacement.

METHODS

Single centre study examining pre-operative outcomes in a consecutive series of 525 patients who underwent primary knee replacement for OA between January 2006 and December 2007. Pre-operative data included: demographics, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) status and OA in the contralateral knee. The International Knee Society (IKS) rating and Short Form-12 (SF-12) were recorded for each patient. Pre-operative radiographs were read by a single observer for Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) grading and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) atlas features. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the strength of associations between radiographic OA severity and function, adjusting for clinically relevant variables.

RESULTS

Lateral tibiofemoral osteophyte grade was an independent predictor of pre-operative function as determined by the functional sub-scale of the IKS in patients undergoing primary knee replacement (coefficient=2.58, p=0.033). No associations were evident between pre-operative function and modified K&L, joint space narrowing, Ahlbäck attrition and coronal plane deformity. Other statistically significant predictors of poorer pre-operative function included: advancing age, female gender, knee pain and poorer SF-12 mental component summary scores which including osteophyte grade accounted for 24.6% of the variation in functional scores, (r=0.496).

CONCLUSION

Osteophytes in the lateral compartment of the knee were associated with pre-operative function in patients with advanced knee OA. Further studies are required which examine individual radiographic features specifically in patients with advanced knee OA to determine their relationship to pre-operative pain and function.

Vitality and the course of limitations in activities in osteoarthritis of the hip or knee

Background

The objective of the study was to determine whether psychological and social factors predict the course of limitations in activities in elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, in addition to established somatic and cognitive risk factors.

Methods

A longitudinal cohort study with a follow-up period of three years was conducted. Patients (N = 237) with hip or knee osteoarthritis were recruited from rehabilitation centers and hospitals. Body functions, comorbidity, cognitive functioning, limitations in activities and psychological and social factors (mental health, vitality, pain coping and perceived social support) were assessed. Statistical analyses included univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Psychological and social factors were added to a previously developed model with body functions, comorbidity and cognitive functioning.

Results

In knee OA, low vitality has a negative impact on the course of self-reported and performance-based limitations in activities, after controlling for somatic and cognitive factors. In hip OA, psychological and social factors had no additional contribution to the model.

Conclusion

Low vitality predicts deterioration of limitations in activities in elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, in addition to established somatic and cognitive risk factors. However, the contribution of vitality is relatively small. Results of this study are relevant for the group of patients with knee or hip OA, attending hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Building the rationale and structure for a complex physical therapy intervention within the context of a clinical trial: a multimodal individualized treatment for patients with hip osteoarthritis

Evaluating the efficacy of complex interventions such as multimodal, impairment-based physical therapy treatments in randomized controlled trials is essential to inform practice and compare relative benefits of available treatment options. Studies of physical therapy interventions using highly standardized intervention protocols, although methodologically rigorous, do not necessarily reflect "real-world" clinical practice, and in many cases results have been disappointing. Development of a complex intervention that includes multiple treatment modalities and individualized treatment technique selection requires a systematic approach to designing all aspects of the intervention based on theory, evidence, and practical constraints. This perspective article outlines the development of the rationale and structure of a multimodal physical therapy program for painful hip osteoarthritis to be assessed in a clinical trial. The resulting intervention protocol comprises a semi-structured program of exercises and manual therapy, advice, physical activity, and optional prescription of a gait aid that is standardized, yet can be individualized according to physical assessment and radiographic findings. The program is evidence based and reflects contemporary physical therapist practice, while also being reproducible and reportable. This perspective article aims to encourage physical therapy researchers involved in evaluation of complex interventions to better document their own intervention development, as well as the outcomes, thus generating a body of knowledge about the development processes and protocols that is generalizable to the real-world complexity of providing physical therapy to individual patients.

Safety issues in the development of treatments for osteoarthritis: recommendations of the Safety Considerations Working Group

OBJECTIVE

The symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) remains to be improved, as many patients do not respond well to current palliative therapies and/or suffer unacceptable adverse events. Given the unmet need for innovative, effective and well-tolerated therapies, it is important to develop the means to estimate the ongoing safety profile of novel therapeutic agents over short- and longer term use.

DESIGN

Methods are presented to estimate the number of serious adverse events (SAEs) of interest considered as "acceptable" per 1000 patient-years exposure and to estimate the numbers of patient-years needed in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to meet objectives. As exposure is increased, more evidence is accrued that the overall risk is within study limits. It is equally important that requirements for delineating the safety of promising new therapies not create barriers that would preclude their development. Therefore, ongoing surveillance of occurrence of SAEs of interest during clinical development is proposed, for example after every incremental 500 patient-years exposure are accrued.

RESULTS

This paper and others in this special issue focus on identification of safety signals for symptomatic treatments of OA. Much less information is available for agents aimed at slowing/preventing structural progression but it is expected that a higher risk profile might be considered acceptable in the context of more promising benefit.

CONCLUSION

This paper provides a proposal and supporting data for a comprehensive approach for assessing ongoing safety during clinical development of both palliative and disease-modifying therapies for OA.

Association between comorbid depression and osteoarthritis symptom severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

We sought to investigate the reported association between depression and severity of knee osteoarthritis symptoms stratified by radiographic severity of osteoarthritis and to quantify the contribution made by depression to symptom severity.

METHODS

Six hundred and sixty elderly Koreans (sixty-five years or older) were evaluated for radiographic severity of knee osteoarthritis on the basis of the Kellgren-Lawrence grading system and also for symptom severity on the basis of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scales. Patient interviews and a questionnaire that made use of a geriatric depression scale were conducted for the purpose of assessing depressive disorders. Regression analyses were performed to assess the relative contributions by radiographic severity and depression severity to Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores and to explore any associations between radiographic severity and the presence of a depressive disorder with regard to the risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis was defined as a Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score of ≥39.

RESULTS

The presence of a depressive disorder was found to be associated with an increased risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (odds ratio = 5.87 [95% confidence interval, 3.01 to 11.44]). However, the influence of the presence of a depressive disorder was limited to subjects with a radiographic severity of minimal to moderate (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0 to 3). The presence of a depressive disorder was not associated with the risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in subjects with severe osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 4).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that the assessment and management of coexisting depression should be integrated with the assessment and management of knee osteoarthritis, particularly when radiographic changes of osteoarthritis in the knee joint are not severe.

The majority of myelinated and unmyelinated sensory nerve fibers that innervate bone express the tropomyosin receptor kinase A

Although skeletal pain is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability, relatively little is known about the specific populations of nerve fibers that innervate the skeleton. Recent studies have reported that therapies blocking nerve growth factor (NGF) or its cognate receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) are efficacious in attenuating skeletal pain. A potential factor to consider when assessing the analgesic efficacy of targeting NGF-TrkA signaling in a pain state is the fraction of NGF-responsive TrkA+ nociceptors that innervate the tissue from which the pain is arising, as this innervation and the analgesic efficacy of targeting NGF-TrkA signaling may vary considerably from tissue to tissue. To explore this in the skeleton, tissue slices and whole mount preparations of the normal, adult mouse femur were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Analysis of these preparations revealed that 80% of the unmyelinated/thinly myelinated sensory nerve fibers that express calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and innervate the periosteum, mineralized bone and bone marrow also express TrkA. Similarly, the majority of myelinated sensory nerve fibers that express neurofilament 200 kDa (NF200) which innervate the periosteum, mineralized bone and bone marrow also co-express TrkA. In the normal femur, the relative density of CGRP+, NF200+ and TrkA+ sensory nerve fibers per unit volume is: periosteum>bone marrow>mineralized bone>cartilage with the respective relative densities being 100:2:0.1:0. The observation that the majority of sensory nerve fibers innervating the skeleton express TrkA+, may in part explain why therapies that block NGF/TrkA pathway are highly efficacious in attenuating skeletal pain.

Capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve fibers contribute to the generation and maintenance of skeletal fracture pain

Although skeletal pain can have a marked impact on a patient's functional status and quality of life, relatively little is known about the specific populations of peripheral nerve fibers that drive non-malignant bone pain. In the present report, neonatal male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with capsaicin or vehicle and femoral fracture was produced when the animals were young adults (15-16 weeks old). Capsaicin treatment, but not vehicle, resulted in a significant (>70%) depletion in the density of calcitonin-gene related peptide positive (CGRP(+)) sensory nerve fibers, but not 200 kDa neurofilament H positive (NF200(+)) sensory nerve fibers in the periosteum. The periosteum is a thin, cellular and fibrous tissue that tightly adheres to the outer surface of all but the articulated surface of bone and appears to play a pivotal role in driving fracture pain. In animals treated with capsaicin, but not vehicle, there was a 50% reduction in the severity, but no change in the time course, of fracture-induced skeletal pain-related behaviors as measured by spontaneous flinching, guarding and weight bearing. These results suggest that both capsaicin-sensitive (primarily CGRP(+) C-fibers) and capsaicin-insensitive (primarily NF200(+) A-delta fibers) sensory nerve fibers participate in driving skeletal fracture pain. Skeletal pain can be a significant impediment to functional recovery following trauma-induced fracture, osteoporosis-induced fracture and orthopedic surgery procedures such as knee and hip replacement. Understanding the specific populations of sensory nerve fibers that need to be targeted to inhibit the generation and maintenance of skeletal pain may allow the development of more specific mechanism-based therapies that can effectively attenuate acute and chronic skeletal pain.

Correspondence between perceived disability and objective physical impairment after elbow trauma

BACKGROUND

Substantial differences between disability and impairment are commonplace and puzzling. Subjective (psychosocial) factors may be paramount given that pain is a more important determinant of perceived overall arm-specific disability than is objective elbow impairment. To further evaluate the relationship between impairment and disability, we tested the hypothesis that objective loss of elbow motion predicts perceived elbow-related task-specific disability better than does pain after elbow trauma.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty-eight patients were evaluated at a median of twenty-six months after a traumatic elbow injury and completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. Predictors of the total DASH score and of the scores for individual DASH items that were expected to be related to elbow function were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Motion accounted for 35% of the variability in the total DASH score, for 11% to 12% of the variability in the responses to questions specific to hand-based activities, and for 24% to 33% of the variability in the scores for tasks depending on elbow motion. Pain accounted for 41% of the variability in the total DASH score and was a better predictor than motion of disability associated with three tasks: opening a tight jar (with pain and motion accounting for 24% and 11% of the variability, respectively), pushing open a door (25% and 12%, respectively), and placing an object overhead (28% and 25%, respectively). None of the multivariate models explained more than 53% of the variability in the DASH scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Objective physical elbow impairment correlated with self-reported disability with respect to specific tasks, but a large proportion of disability remains unexplained. Further research is needed to better understand the differences between objective impairment and perceived disability.