ABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate the dynamics of pain on the VAS scale, functional activity according to the WOMAC index and quality of life according to the EQ-5D questionnaire in elderly and senile patients with knee joint osteoarthritis (OA) after COVID-19. Methods: A total of 32 elderly and senile male patients with an established diagnosis of knee joint OA (according to the criteria of ACR, 1986) of stage II-III according to Kellgren-Lawrence, with pain ≥40 mm on a visual analog scale (VAS), who needed to take nonsteroidal anti-infammatory drugs (NSAIDs), were included in the study. The median age of the patients included in this study was 72.6 (66.0;79.3) years. All patients have been ill with COVID-19 for the last 6 months. Pain dynamics was assessed on the VAS scale, functional activity-on the WOMAC index, quality of life-on the EQ-5D questionnaire. Results: When analyzing the clinical picture, it was found that the majority of patients-22 people (68.8%)-had moderate COVID-19, 4 people (12.5%)-in mild form, 6 patients (18.7%)-in severe. The average duration of hospitalization was 14.0 (9.0;17.0) days. The majority of patients were discharged with recovery-30 people (93.75%), 2 people died (6.25%). The most frequent manifestations of postcovid syndrome in elderly and senile patients with OA: weakness-in 18 (56.2%) patients, arthralgia-in 17 (53.1%) and memory loss-in 14 (43.8%). There was a signifcant increase in the pain index on the VAS scale and the total WOMAC index after COVID-19. Pain on the VAS scale before COVID-19 was 45.9 (34.8;72.4), after the disease-60.9 (51.4;68.5) (p<0.001);the total WOMAC index was 46.3 (38.5;51.2) and 63.1 (48.9;76.2), respectively (p=0.007). There were no differences in the need for NSAIDs before and after the disease. When flling out the EQ-5D questionnaire, all the interviewed patients indicated health problems to one degree or another. When calculating the quantitative index after COVID-19, there was a deterioration in the health index, but the changes were unreliable. The 'health thermometer' also changed in a similar way. Conclusion: COVID-19 in elderly and senile patients with OA occurred in a variant of moderate severity in 22 (68.8%), severe-in 6 (18.7%), mild-in 4 (12.5%). The most frequent manifestations of postcovid syndrome in elderly and senile patients with OA: weakness, arthralgia and memory loss. Negative dynamics of indicators of functional activity according to the WOMAC index and pain on the scale VAS after COVID-19 was registered.