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Objective: As part of the first phase of the OARSI Early-stage Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis (EsSKOA) initiative, we explored the first symptoms and experiences recalled by individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design: This qualitative study, informed by qualitative description, was a secondary analysis of focus groups (n ​= ​17 groups) and one-on-one interviews (n ​= ​3) conducted in 91 individuals living with knee OA as part of an international study to better understand the OA pain experience. In each focus group or interview, participants were asked to describe their first symptoms of knee OA. We inductively coded these transcripts and conducted thematic analysis. Results: Mean age of participants was 70 years (range 47–92) and 68 ​% were female. We developed four overarching themes: Insidious and Episodic Onset, Diverse Early Symptoms, Must be Something Else, and Adjustments. Participants described the gradual and intermittent way in which symptoms of knee OA developed over many years; many could not identify a specific starting point. Participants described diverse initial knee symptoms, including activity-exacerbated joint pain, stiffness and crepitus. Most participants dismissed early symptoms or rationalized their presence, employing various strategies to enable continued participation in recreational and daily activities. Few sought medical attention until physical functioning was demonstrably impacted. Conclusions: The earliest symptoms of knee OA are frequently insidious in onset, episodic and present long before individuals present to health professionals. These results highlight challenges to identifying people with knee OA early and support the development of specific classification criteria for EsSKOA to capture individuals at an early stage.

Purpose: People living with osteoarthritis (OA) often do not receive best evidence care. Coordinated OA management programs (OAMPs) have been implemented to address this global evidence-practice gap. An OAMP is defined as a package of care with the following: i) a personalized management plan; ii) with reassessment and progression; iii) using a minimum of 2 core treatments (education, exercise, weight control), and; iv) optional adjunctive therapies. Existing OAMP models differ in treatment mode, intensity, duration, the health professionals delivering care, and the healthcare systems and settings they operate within. Randomized trials (RCTs) and cohort studies assess the outcomes of different OAMPs, however, these models are unlikely to ever be compared in RCTs due to the huge expense and complicated logistics required. Prognosis research provides another method of comparing outcomes of different OAMP models. This study aimed to estimate the pain and self-reported function outcomes (at 12-, 26- and 52-weeks) of people with hip and/or knee OA who participated in international OAMPs. It also aimed to describe the characteristics of OAMP participants. Methods: This study was undertaken by members of the OARSI Joint Effort Initiative (JEI), in collaboration with the OA Trial Bank (Erasmus MC, Netherlands). RCTs and clinical cohorts assessing OAMPs were identified through the JEI membership and literature searches. Eligible studies included data from an ongoing OAMP, in any real-world setting, with participants who were diagnosed with hip or knee OA, and longitudinal measures of patient-reported pain and function. The investigators of eligible studies were invited to complete data delivery agreements with the OA Trial Bank, share individual participant data (IPD), contribute to study design and authorship. Investigators ensured they had local ethics review board approval to contribute IPD to the OA Trial bank. Each dataset was converted to a common format to enable merg

OBJECTIVE: To identify and quantify potential risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA) following traumatic knee injury. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analyses that estimated the odds of OA for individual risk factors assessed in more than four studies using random-effects models. Remaining risk factors underwent semiquantitative synthesis. The modified GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach for prognostic factors guided the assessment. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL searched from inception to 2009-2021. ELIGIBILITY: Randomised controlled trials and cohort studies assessing risk factors for symptomatic or structural OA in persons with a traumatic knee injury, mean injury age ≤30 years and minimum 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: Across 66 included studies, 81 unique potential risk factors were identified. High risk of bias due to attrition or confounding was present in 64% and 49% of studies, respectively. Ten risk factors for structural OA underwent meta-analysis (sex, rehabilitation for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, ACL reconstruction (ACLR), ACLR age, ACLR body mass index, ACLR graft source, ACLR graft augmentation, ACLR+cartilage injury, ACLR+partial meniscectomy, ACLR+total medial meniscectomy). Very-low certainty evidence suggests increased odds of structural OA related to ACLR+cartilage injury (OR=2.31; 95% CI 1.35 to 3.94), ACLR+partial meniscectomy (OR=1.87; 1.45 to 2.42) and ACLR+total medial meniscectomy (OR=3.14; 2.20 to 4.48). Semiquantitative syntheses identified moderate-certainty evidence that cruciate ligament, collateral ligament, meniscal, chondral, patellar/tibiofemoral dislocation, fracture and multistructure injuries increase the odds of symptomatic OA. CONCLUSION: Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that various single and multistructure knee injuries (beyond ACL tears) increase the odds of symptomatic OA. Risk factor heterogeneity, high risk of bias, and inconsistenc