THU0478 Longitudinal Associations Between Painful Knee Osteoarthritis and Difficulties in Physical Functioning Among Community-Dwelling Women: A 9 Years Follow-Up Study in Japan
Authors: K. Arima, T. Nishimura, Y. Abe, K. Aoyagi
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2015)

<h3>Background</h3> Although knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic joint disorder, little is known its longitudinal effect on physical functioning among community-dwelling women in Japan. <h3>Objectives</h3> The aim of this population-based study was to assess the association between painful knee OA and occurrence of physical difficulty. <h3>Methods</h3> The subjects were 341 women aged 50 years and over, with 8-9 years of follow-up. At baseline, antero-posterior weight-bearing knee radiographs were obtained. Subjects were assessed to have radiographic OA (defined as Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or higher in at least one joint). All the participants were asked if they had knee pain and comorbidities (heart disease, lung disease, stroke, or diabetes mellitus). Height (m) and weight (kg) were measured and used to calculate body mass index (BMI). Both at baseline and at follow-up, a self-administered questionnaire was used to survey subjects about difficulty in performing selected activities of daily living. Longitudinal data from women without each selected physical difficulty at baseline were analyzed. Subjects were divided into four groups; women with neither knee OA nor pain (a group as reference), with knee pain only (Pain group), with knee OA only (OA group) and with knee OA and pain (Painful OA group). <h3>Results</h3> At baseline, the number (%) of each group was 176 (%) in the reference group, 54 (15.8) in Pain group, 51 (15.0) in OA group and 60 (17.6) in painful OA group, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was conducted in order to assess the occurrence of a selected physical difficulty, adjusting for age, BMI and comorbidities. Relative to the reference group, in Painful OA group there was significantly higher occurrence of 13 physical difficulties ("Walking 100m on a level surface", "Climbing 10 steps without stopping", "Walking down 10 steps", "Getting in or out car", "Lifting a 5kg object from the floor", "Bending over or picking up a lightweight object", "Heavy housework or yard work", "Lifting a heavy suitcase about 15 kg or a 3- to 4-year old child by yourself", "Reaching an object above your head", "Shopping for groceries of clothes", "Preparing your own meals", "Standing on your feet for 2 hour" and "Feeding or dressing yourself"). In Pain group, there was significantly higher occurrence of a difficulty in "Putting on socks or stockings". But in OA group, there was not. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Painful knee OA may affect future difficulties in physical functioning among community-dwelling Japanese women. <h3>References</h3> Davis MA, Ettinger WH, Neuhaus JM, Mallon KP. Knee osteoarthritis and physical functioning: evidence from the NHANES I Epidemiologic Followup Study. J Rheumatol. 1991; 18(4): 591-598. Norimatsu T, Osaki M, Tomita M, Ye Z, Abe Y, Honda S, Kanagae M, Mizukami S, Takamura N, Kusano Y, Shindo H, Aoyagi K. Factors predicting health-related quality of life in knee osteoarthritis among community-dwelling women in Japan: the Hizen-Oshima study. Orthopedics. 2011; 34(9): e535-540 <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared