Osteoarthritis

For patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis, total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty improved psychosocial and physical aspects of sexuality, according to published results.

My approach to nonoperative treatment for OA in recreational and advanced athletes is the same, and includes weight loss, physical therapy, intra-articular injection and bracing.

Knee osteoarthritis accounts for about 80% of the burden of OA worldwide, and published studies show it contributes more than $27 billion in health care costs annually.

Shared decision-making and clinical judgment are key to effectively managing osteoarthritis patients, especially when sets of osteoarthritis guidelines disagree on the best course of action, noted a speaker at the ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium.

Common beta-blockers are associated with a reduced cumulative risk for knee osteoarthritis, knee pain and hip pain consultations, according to data published in Rheumatology.

Sprifermin improved cartilage thickness and pain symptoms in a subgroup of patients with knee osteoarthritis who demonstrated low minimum joint-space width and moderate-to-high pain at baseline, according to data.

The FDA’s Arthritis Advisory Committee and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee denied Pfizer’s risk mitigation proposal for its osteoarthritis drug tanezumab. A recap of the hearing was the top story in rheumatology last week.

A standalone, healthy lifestyle app, called dr. Bart, can lower costs, compared with usual care, and help provide education and goal setting for patients with osteoarthritis, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.

A pair of FDA advisory committees has rejected a risk mitigation proposal from Pfizer for its NGF-blocker tanezumab, stating it would fail to ensure the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks for patients with osteoarthritis.

Editor’s note: This paper reviews the current treatment recommendations for large joint osteoarthritis, including exercise, physical therapy, strengthening, neuromuscular training, weight control and analgesic medication for breakthrough pain. The author also discusses corticosteroid injections and developing individualized care plans for managing large joint OA.