Abstract
BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) and meniscal and ligament injuries of the knee are the two most common knee disorders in Korea. The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic characteristics, medical service use and related costs for these disorders, and the results are expected to help inform practitioners, researchers, and policy-makers.MethodsThe present study aimed to evaluate incidence and patient characteristics, and to assess current medical service use, usual care, and medical expenses of knee disorders by analyzing 2014 national patient sample data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Data was extracted using 3% stratified sampling from all Korea national health insurance claims submitted in 2014, and analyzed. Usual care for M17 knee osteoarthritis and S83 knee meniscal and ligament injury codes of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) were determined by investigating total number of patients, sociodemographic characteristics, days in care, number of visits, and expenses.ResultsKnee OA showed the highest incidence in females aged ≥60 years, whereas meniscal and ligament injuries of the knee were most prevalent among patients aged <20 years and young adults. Total inpatient care expenses exceeded the cost of ambulatory care for both disorders. Ambulatory care was mainly provided at primary care clinics, with 90% of these visits made to orthopedic specialists. Medical expenses for knee OA and meniscal and ligament injuries were largely due to procedures/surgeries and injections, and procedures/surgeries and hospitalizations, respectively. Total replacement arthroplasty was the most commonly performed surgery for knee OA, while meniscectomy and cruciate ligament reconstruction were the most often performed surgeries for meniscal and ligament injuries. Intra-articular injection rates were 55% in knee OA patients and 3% in meniscal and ligament injury patients. Aceclofenac, diclofenac, and tramadol were the most frequently prescribed analgesics.ConclusionsThe current findings may be used as basic data for establishing medical policies and can benefit researchers and clinicians in recognizing trends and patterns of treatment for knee disorders.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis (OA) and meniscal and ligament injuries of the knee are the two most common knee disorders in Korea
Population-wide studies have purported that incidence estimates of knee meniscal injury are highest in adolescent and young men [7], stating that these populations are at higher risk of injury as they are more likely to engage in competitive sports such as ball games, while older adults are at lower risk of injury as they are more likely to participate in non-competitive sports such as walking, jogging and swimming [8]
Current use of medical treatment for knee OA and knee meniscal and ligament injuries The total number of patients, total expenses, per-patient expenses, average days of care, and average number of visits were higher for patients with knee OA than for those with knee meniscal and ligament injuries, regardless of whether the patients were treated as inpatients or outpatients
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) and meniscal and ligament injuries of the knee are the two most common knee disorders in Korea. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common disorders in the U.S, and symptomatic OA prevalence was found to be as high as 10% in men and 13% in women aged ≥60 [1]. Symptomatic knee OA was shown to affect 9.3% and 28.5% of Korean men and women aged ≥50, respectively, with a steep increase in prevalence in older populations [2]. Population-wide studies have purported that incidence estimates of knee meniscal injury are highest in adolescent and young men [7], stating that these populations are at higher risk of injury as they are more likely to engage in competitive sports such as ball games, while older adults are at lower risk of injury as they are more likely to participate in non-competitive sports such as walking, jogging and swimming [8]. The epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis and injury varies considerably, their etiology is often viewed to share certain traits; injury of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or the meniscus may incur joint instability and damage the cartilage surface, leading to chronic disability and potential knee OA [10, 11]
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