The Outcomes of Nonoperative Management of Patients With Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis Triaged to a Physiotherapy-Led Clinic at Minimum 5-Year Follow-Up and Factors Associated With Progression to Surgery

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine outcomes of a nonoperative treatment service for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA), the “Joint Clinic,” at minimum 5-year follow-up, and investigate factors that may influence progression to joint replacement surgery. Methods: This is an observational cohort study of 337 patients with hip (n = 151, 45%) or knee OA (n = 186, 55%) seen at the Joint Clinic, at 5-7 years of follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to determine survivorship of the affected joint and Cox regression used to determine factors associated with time to surgery. Results: At mean 6-year follow up, 188 (56%) patients had undergone or were awaiting total joint arthroplasty, 127 (38%) were still being managed nonoperatively, and 22 (7%) had died without having surgery. Patients with hip OA were more likely to have required surgery (111/151, 74%) than patients with knee OA (77/186, 41%) (chi-square = 33.6, P < .001). The 7-year surgery-free survival for hip OA was 23.7% and knee OA 55.9% (P