Clinical Profile, Level of Affection and Therapeutic Management of Patients With Osteoarthritis in Primary Care: The Spanish Multicenter Study EVALÚA

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine the clinical profile, degree of involvement and management in patients with knee, hip or hand osteoarthritis. MethodsObservational study (health centres from 14 autonomous regions, n=363 primary care physicians), involving patients with clinical and/or radiological criteria from the American College of Rheumatology, consecutively selected (n=1258). Sociodemographic variables, clinical and radiological findings, comorbidity and therapeutic management were analysed. ResultsMean age was 68.0±9.5 years old; 77.8% were women and 47.6% obese. Distribution by location was 84.3% knee, 23.4% hip, and 14.7% hands.All patients reported pain. The most frequent radiographic Kellgren-Lawrence grade was stage III for knee and hip (42.9% and 51.9%, respectively), and III (37.2%) and II (34.5%) for hip.Time since onset of osteoarthritis symptoms was 9.4±7.5 years, with a mean age at onset of around 60 years and a family history of osteoarthritis in 66.0%.The most frequent comorbidities were hypertension (55.1%), depression/anxiety (24.7%) and gastroduodenal diseases (22.9%).A total of 97.6% of the patients received pharmacological treatment, with oral analgesics (paracetamol) (70.5%) and oral NSAIDs (67.9%) being the most frequent drugs.Bilateral osteoarthritis was present in 76.9% of the patients with knee osteoarthritis, 59.3% in hip and 94.7% in hands. Female gender and time since onset were associated with bilateral knee and hip osteoarthritis. ConclusionsThe profile of the osteoarthritis patient is female, >65 years old, overweight/obese, with a comorbidity, frequent symptoms and moderate radiologic involvement. Most of the patients had bilateral osteoarthritis, associated with female gender and time since onset of disease. Paracetamol was the most common pharmacological treatment.