Cross-sectional study of pain and disability at knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis in 299 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pain and disability at the time of knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis. METHODS: In this multicenter cross-sectional study, 299 patients at 12 orthopedic surgery centers in Lyon, France were evaluated on the day before knee replacement surgery. Pain severity was assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS) and function using the Lequesne index and the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). RESULTS: There were 207 women and 92 men with a mean age of 73 years. Mean (+/-SD) VAS pain score upon walking was 55.8+/-24mm. Compared to patients with very severe disability (Lequesne index>12), those with mild-to-severe disability (Lequesne index27kg/m(2) (OR, 2.2; 95%CI, 1.3-3.3) and to engage in sporting activities (OR, 3.3; 95%CI, 1.4-10). CONCLUSION: Patients about to undergo knee replacement surgery had high levels of pain and disability, with little variation across centers. Nevertheless, the severity of pain and disability may depend in part on age, gender, body mass index, and sporting activities, which probably influence the decision to perform knee replacement surgery.

Selection of knee radiographs for trials of structure-modifying drugs in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a prospective, longitudinal study of Lyon Schuss knee radiographs with the definition of adequate alignment of the medial tibial plateau.

OBJECTIVE: The quality of medial tibial plateau (MTP) alignment, which is assessed by measuring the distance between the anterior and posterior margins (intermargin distance [IMD]) of the tibial plateau, and the reproducibility of alignment in serial radiographs are suggested to be key elements in determining the accuracy and sensitivity to change in knee radiographs in patients with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (OA). We evaluated the influence of both MTP alignment and radiograph superimposition on the sensitivity to change in radiographic joint space narrowing (JSN) in knee OA. METHODS: The study group comprised 106 patients with knee pain (73 with OA). Lyon schuss radiographic images of the knee were obtained twice (at baseline [month 0] and 12 months later), using a standardized radiographic procedure. Computerized measurement of the IMD for the assessment of MTP alignment was compared with the grading of MTP alignment by 2 observers using a 5-point scale (excellent, good, fair, poor, bad). To obtain the rate of JSN, computerized measurement of the joint space width was performed at month 0 and month 12. The sensitivity of the joint space width to change over 1 year was evaluated by the standardized response mean (SRM). RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) IMD was 1.2 +/- 0.9 mm. The correlation between scoring and computer measurement of MTP alignment was highly significant. The cutoff value for satisfactory alignment (excellent or good) was an IMD of 1.2 mm at month 0 and/or month 12. CONCLUSION: The quality of MTP alignment at both baseline and the end point highly influences the sensitivity to change in radiographic JSN in knee OA. To obtain relevant data, only radiographs showing an IMD of