Work

Impact of Monthly Community Follow-Ups in Knee Osteoarthritis Management for Elderly Patients

Year: 2025

Type: article

Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial

Abstract: BACKGROUND Chronic knee osteoarthritis (KOA) severely affects elderly populations, yet optimal pain management remains elusive. While community interventions show rehabilitation potential, evidence comparing structured follow-up frequencies is limited. This randomized trial compared intensified monthly community follow-ups vs semi-annual monitoring for improving pain control, functional capacity, and quality of life in elderly patients with KOA. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 112 elderly patients with KOA were enrolled and randomly assigned to either a control group (semi-annual follow-ups) or a follow-up group (monthly community interventions including pain management education and exercise adherence supervision) during the 14-month study. Outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Statistical analyses performed with SPSS 27.0 included paired-sample t tests for intra-group changes and independent-sample t tests for inter-group comparisons. RESULTS The control group showed a significant reduction in VAS scores at the final assessment (P<0.05). The follow-up group showed significant improvements across VAS, KOOS, and SF-36 scores (P<0.05). Improvements in VAS, KOOS, and SF-36 scores were significantly greater in the follow-up group than in the control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, changes in VAS scores were correlated with changes in KOOS and SF-36 scores (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Regular community follow-ups significantly enhanced pain management, functional outcomes, and quality of life among elderly patients with KOA. By fostering adherence to exercise regimens, this approach proved to be a viable strategy for enhancing rehabilitation outcomes, meriting its broader adoption in clinical practice.

Source: Medical Science Monitor

DOI: 10.12659/msm.947224

Authors: Ruhai Hu, Jinyan Wang, Shengjie Zhu, Zhilin Wang, Zekai Hu

Institution: Shanghai Clinical Research Center

Language: English

Topic: Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation

Subfield: Pharmacology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Shanghai Baoshan Science and Technology Commission