Intermittent and constant pain and physical function or performance in men and women with knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative

Abstract

Severe constant and intermittent knee pain are associated with “unacceptable” symptoms in older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) [ 22 ]. We hypothesized that constant and intermittent pain would be independently related to physical function, with intermittent knee pain being a better predictor of future declines in physical function in early symptomatic knee OA. This study included men (n = 189) and women (n = 133) with radiographic, unilateral knee OA, observed using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Pain types were measured using the Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP) scale. Physical function was measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC-PF) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-FSR) and physical performance tests. High baseline intermittent (B = 0.277; p = 0.001) and constant (B = 0.252; p = 0.001) knee pain were related to poor WOMAC-PF. Increased constant (B = 0.484; p = 0.001) and intermittent (B = 0.104; p = 0.040) pain were related to 2-year decreased WOMAC-PF. High baseline intermittent knee pain predicted poor KOOS-FSR at year 2 (B = −0.357; p = 0.016). Increased constant pain was related to decreased chair stand test performance over 2 years in women (B = 0.077; p = 0.001). High baseline intermittent pain was related to poor performance on repeated chair stands (B = 0.035; p = 0.021), while baseline constant pain was related to poor 400-m walk performance in women (B = 0.636; p = 0.047). Intermittent and constant knee pain were independent factors in self-perceived physical function and were important predictors of future limitations in physical function. Identifying intermittent and constant pain in early symptomatic OA may allow patients to adopt strategies to prevent worsening pain and future declines in physical function.

Knee Osteoarthritis and the Risk of Medically Treated Injurious Falls Among Older Adults: A Community‐Based US Cohort Study

“…One potential explanation for this observation is that men are more likely to fall than women under similar conditions of health (e.g., OA) and balance . This may be the result of several factors, for instance, women who report pain are more likely to limit their activity than men , and men with similar conditions of health are more likely to put themselves in hazardous situations than women . Additionally, women may have a lower pain threshold and men are more likely to only report severe pain .…”

Effectiveness of ultrasonographic skeletal muscle assessment in patients after total knee arthroplasty

“…Similar to a previous study that found TKA patients had lower postoperative physical functional performance than healthy elderly people [3], the present study also showed that TKA patients had lower postoperative physical functional performance than OA patients who have not received any surgical intervention. In general, knee pain is a cause of motor dysfunction [25], and it was worse in the non-TKA group than in the TKA group. A recent study in patients who had not undergone TKA showed that knee muscle strength is a better objective measure of motor function than pain [26].…”

Relationship of knee pain to time in moderate and light physical activities: Data from Osteoarthritis Initiative

“…[11] A recent study in an OA-population by Davidson and colleagues found that constant and intermittent ICOAP knee pain were each associated with worse self-reported knee function measured by WOMAC and KOOS; but the relationships with other function outcomes were mixed. [34] Another cohort study showed that individuals with symptomatic knee OA were most likely to find their symptoms unacceptable if they experienced higher pain severity (constant or intermittent) or a greater degree of unpredictable intermittent pain. [35] Our study indicated the presence of constant pain and higher level of intermittent pain were related to less time spent in moderate physical activity compared to no pain.…”