OXford Knee OsteoArthitis Cohort (OXKOAC) Version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
OXford Knee OsteoArthritis Cohort (OXKOAC)
IRAS ID
171723
Contact name
Jonathan Palmer
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is common. Any intervention aimed at slowing disease progression or improving functional disability associated with osteoarthritis has significant health and economic implications. Osteoarthritis of the knee represents a continuum of disease from early cartilage thinning to full thickness cartilage loss and boney deformity. Intervention for the treatment of early knee OA (EKOA) is limited, lacking in evidence and as yet there is no intervention that is proven to slow, halt or reverse disease progression. Many interventions are offered to patients with EKOA including painkillers, physiotherapy, bracing and key hole surgery. None of these interventions is proven to definitively alter clinical outcome.
Previous work undertaken at NDORMS has demonstrated that over 100 patients with symptomatic EKOA present to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre a year and up to 78% of these patients will have pain and functional profiles that are similar to patients with end stage disease. These patients represent a ‘treatment gap’. In order to address this ‘treatment gap’, the specialist knee service at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, are offering a neutralising, medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) to patients with a particular pattern of early osteoarthritis.
Little is known about the factors that predispose to disease progression and clinical outcome in the EKOA cohort. In order to assess this and assess the treatment effect of HTO as well as other interventions mentioned above we propose to centralise information regarding patients with EKOA. We will not alter the clinical pathway on which these patients are travelling. We are, however, looking to observe these patients carefully and record their progress over time. Analysis of this database will give an evidence-base from which to guide clinical practice and better inform future patients regarding the expected outcomes of different management options.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0701
Date of REC Opinion
15 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion