Abstract
BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder with a need for efficient and evidence-based management strategies.ObjectivesThe primary purpose of this study is to compare the effects of a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic, including a brief group-based educational programme, with a traditional individual outpatient clinic for patients with hip, knee, hand or generalized OA. A secondary purpose is to investigate the effects of a telephone follow-up call.MethodsThis is a pragmatic randomised single-blind controlled study with a total of 400 patients with hip, knee, hand or generalized OA between 40 and 80 years referred to an outpatient rheumatology hospital clinic. The randomisation is stratified according to the diagnostic subgroups. The experimental group is exposed to a multidisciplinary and multifaceted intervention, including a 3.5 hour group-based patient education programme about OA in addition to individual consultations with members of a multidisciplinary team. The control intervention is based on regular care with an individual outpatient consultation with a rheumatologist (treatment as usual). Primary outcomes are patient satisfaction measured at 4 months and cost-effectiveness measured at 12 months. Secondary outcomes are pain and global disease activity measured on a numeric rating scales (NRS), generic and disease specific functioning and disability using Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index 3 (WOMAC), the Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN), and a patient-generated measure of disability (Patient-Specific Functional scale, PSFS). Global perceived effect of change in health status during the study period is also reported. At 4-month follow-up, patients in both groups will be randomly allocated to a 10-minute telephone call or no follow-up ("treatment as usual"). After additional 8 months (12-month follow-up) the four groups will be compared in a secondary analysis with regard to health outcomes and health care costs.DiscussionThis trial will provide results on how multidisciplinary and multifaceted management of patients with OA affects health outcomes and health care costs.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN25778426
Highlights
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder with a need for efficient and evidence-based management strategies
The degenerative disease process of synovial joints leads to radiographic signs and
Primary outcome will be patient satisfaction with health service assessed at 4 months, while, cost-effectiveness will be the co-primary outcome assessed at 12 months, and various aspects of health status are the secondary outcomes at both time-points
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder with a need for efficient and evidence-based management strategies. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent joint disorder and is associated with pain, functional disability and impaired quality of life [1]. Effective and evidence-based preventive and treatment strategies for OA are important as they may reduce both the individual burden of OA, and the economic burden to the society. Most of the non-pharmacological treatments have been studied in patients with hip and knee OA with a special focus on exercise, physical activity, patient education and weight control [2]. Reduced pain and improved function has been documented in patients with knee OA, and exercises and information are considered as important non-pharmacological interventions for this patient group
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