Prevalence of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis and the Appropriateness of Joint Replacement in an Older Population

Abstract

Osteoarthritis of the knee and hip are common conditions that tend to require frequent follow-up, medical therapy, and potentially expensive treatments, such as joint replacement surgery.¹ Nevertheless, relatively little is known about the prevalence of these pathologic conditions in the general population.² Estimating prevalence requires tools that allow investigators to screen a large sample drawn from the general population to identify individuals most likely to have the disease.³ Currently, investigators interested in determining the prevalence of knee or hip osteoarthritis must rely on medical histories, radiographs,^4,5 or descriptions of symptoms.⁶ Given that no single symptom can identify patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis,⁷ the most relevant symptoms are often combined to construct an algorithm that ideally has high specificity and reasonable sensitivity.³ Individuals identified as likely candidates using such screening tools must then undergo clinical examination by an experienced physician and radiography of the joint for a definitive diagnosis to be made.