Does Pain Medication Use Influence the Outcome of 8 Weeks of Education and Exercise Therapy in Patients with Knee or Hip Osteoarthritis? An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with osteoarthritis are mainly managed in primary care settings and many patients use pain medication as symptomatic treatment. We investigated in OA-patients receiving an education and exercise program, the use and type of pain medication and its impact on outcomes at 3 months follow-up. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: The design was a retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data from the GLA: D® registry. The study included 15,918 primary care patients. RESULTS: Among the included patients, 62% were pain medication users and 38% were non-users. Among the pain medications users, 35% were classified as paracetamol users, 54% as NSAID users, and 11% as opioid users. Medication users and non-users differed regarding a higher pain intensity, poorer physical and mental health. Pain medication use before and during the education and exercise program was associated with the pain intensity at 3 months follow-up. However, patients either using or not using pain medications improved over time, and the magnitude of the difference between patient groups was small (less than 10 mm on a 0-100 scale). CONCLUSIONS: Pain medication use is weakly associated with outcome at 3 months follow up in OA-patients receiving an education and exercise program. Between-group differences, however, are small and probably not clinically important.

Prognostic factors of total hip replacement during a 2-year period in participants enrolled in supervised education and exercise therapy: a prognostic study of 3657 participants with hip osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on prognostic factors associated with progression to total hip replacement (THR) in hip osteoarthritis (OA) is for the most patient- and disease-specific characteristics either conflicting or inconclusive. Therefore, the objectives of this study of participants with hip OA enrolled in a structured program of supervised education and exercise therapy were to describe the rate of THR and to identify prognostic factors for receiving THR within the following 2 years. METHODS: Participants aged ≥ 45 years with hip OA enrolled in Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D®) from July 2014 to March 2017 were included. Potential prognostic factors included demographic and disease-specific baseline characteristics and measures of physical activity and quality of life (QoL). Information on THR was retrieved from The Danish National Patient Registry. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was developed. RESULTS: Of 3657 included participants, 30% received a THR within 2 years. Of the 100 participants already wait-listed for THR, 60% had the procedure. Of 22 candidate prognostic factors, 14 were statistically significant for receiving THR. Factors associated with a faster rate of THR included being "male" (HR 1.43), having "self-reported radiographic hip OA" (HR 2.32), being "wait-listed for THR" (HR 2.17), and having a higher "pain intensity" (HR 1.01). In contrast, faster "walking speed" (HR 0.64), better "hip-related QoL" (HR 0.98), and having "three or more comorbidities" (HR 0.62) were predictive of a slower rate of THR. CONCLUSION: During the 2-year follow-up period, 30% of the cohort received a THR. Notably, 40% of those wait-listed for THR when entering the program did not receive THR within 2 years. A number of baseline prognostic factors for receiving THR were identified.

Impact of educational level and employment status on short-term and long-term pain relief from supervised exercise therapy and education: an observational study of 22 588 patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of educational level and employment status on change in pain intensity after treatment among patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We analysed 22 588 patients participating in the Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D). GLA:D consists of two patient education sessions and 12 supervised exercise sessions. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Baseline educational level and employment status were used as exposures. We investigated the impact of both exposures separately on mean change in pain intensity (visual analogue scale 0-100 mm) from baseline to immediately after treatment (approximately 3 months) and at 12 months, using linear mixed models. RESULTS: On average, all patients improved in pain intensity. The average improvement in pain did not differ by educational level, except for one group. Patients with long-term education had less improvement after treatment (2.0 mm, 95% CI 0.8 to 3.1) and at 12 months (2.0 mm, 95% CI 0.6 to 3.4) compared with primary school only (reference). According to employment status, patients on sick leave had the greatest improvement in pain after treatment (-3.4, 95% CI -4.9 to -1.9) and at 12 months (-4.5, 95% CI -6.4 to -2.6) compared with retired patients (reference). CONCLUSIONS: On average, all patients reported improvement in pain at short-term and long-term follow-up. Change in pain intensity did not substantially differ by educational level or employment status, as the absolute differences were small and most likely not clinically important.

Patients use fewer analgesics following supervised exercise therapy and patient education: an observational study of 16 499 patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in analgesic use before and after supervised exercise therapy and patient education in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: We recruited 16 499 of 25 933 eligible patients (64%; mean age 64.9; SD 9.6; 73% women) from the Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D) registry. Change in proportions of analgesic users (categorised according to analgesic risk profile; opioids > non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs > paracetamol) was assessed from before to after an 8-week supervised exercise therapy and patient education programme targeting knee or hip OA pain and functional limitations. RESULTS: Patients reported 13.2 mm (95% CI 12.8 to 13.6) less pain (visual analogue scale 0-100 mm) at follow-up compared with baseline. The proportion of analgesic users reduced from 62.2% (95% CI 61.5 to 63.0) at baseline to 44.1% (95% CI 43.3 to 44.9) at follow-up (absolute change: 18.1% (95% CI 17.3 to 19.0)). Among patients using analgesics at baseline, 52% changed to a lower risk analgesic or discontinued analgesic use. The proportion of opioid users after the exercise therapy was 2.5% (95% CI 2.1 to 2.9) lower than baseline; this represents a relative reduction of 36%. CONCLUSION: Among patients with knee or hip OA using analgesics, more than half either discontinued analgesic use or shifted to lower risk analgesics following an 8-week structured exercise therapy and patient education programme (GLA:D). These data encourage randomised controlled trial evaluation of whether supervised exercise therapy, combined with patient education, can reduce analgesic use, including opioids, among patients with knee and hip OA pain.