Abstract
Objective. Currently, an overview of the management of knee pain in general practitioner's offices is not available. The main concern of this study was to evaluate the consultation prevalence of knee pain, accompanying symptoms, the frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and results of encounters of patients suffering from knee pain. Methods. For the SESAM 2 study cross-sectional data was collected from randomly selected patients during one year and compared with publicly available data from the Dutch Transition Project. Results. Overall, 127 out of 8,877 (1.4%) patients of the SESAM 2 study and 6,754 out of 149,238 (4.5%) patients of the Dutch Transition Project consulted for knee pain. Drug prescription, follow-up consultation, giving doctor's advice, and referral to a specialist or physiotherapist were the most frequent procedures. Osteoarthritis of the knee and other musculoskeletal diseases were the most frequent results of encounter. Overweight, age, gender, and other musculoskeletal diseases were found to be significantly associated with knee pain. Conclusion. Knee pain in general practice settings is mainly associated with chronic problems. Dangerous outcomes (as suspected fracture or thrombosis) are rare. Further research is needed in order to reduce the influence knee pain has on daily living.
Highlights
Knee pain is a common complaint and is a typical reason for consulting the general practitioner
Our study confirmed that knee pain is a regularly occurring reason for encounter in general practice
The SESAM 2 study showed that with a consultation prevalence of 1.4% patients with knee pain represent a respectable group in general practice; this lays markedly below the overall prevalence in the general population: it is assumed that more than 25% of our society suffers from constant knee pain
Summary
Knee pain is a common complaint and is a typical reason for consulting the general practitioner. Knee pain occurs increasingly with advanced age [1] and among other issues plays an important role in an aging population, like ours [2]. Approximately 25% of the people aged over 55 years suffer from constant knee pain [3] which can have a negative effect on the quality of life [4]. The diagnosis of knee pain requires a comprehensive evaluation including medical history taking, specific physical examination using manual diagnostic tests, and medical imaging. Clinical guidelines for the systematic examination of the knee [5], history taking [6], and treatment options are available for physicians. There are multiple causes of knee pain and, conclusively, manifold treatment options [7]
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