Mortality in osteoarthritis patients

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease.
• Concerns exist regarding potential increased mortality risks in OA patients.
• Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate all-cause mortality in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA).
• To determine if cardiovascular disease deaths are elevated in OA patients seeking primary or secondary healthcare.
• To compare mortality rates in OA patients with the general population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Genetics ARthrosis and Progression (GARP) study (383 patients) and the Osteoarthritis Care Clinic (OCC) study (459 patients).
• Calculated Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality against the general population.
• Employed Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) to identify factors associated with all-cause mortality.

Main Results:

• Both GARP and OCC studies showed significantly lower all-cause mortality than expected (SMRs 0.54 and 0.45, respectively).
• Mortality rates were lower in women compared to men within the GARP study.
• Increased mortality in GARP was associated with male sex, older age, and a history of self-reported cancer.

Conclusions:

• Patients consulting healthcare for OA do not face a higher risk of death than the general population.
• Current findings suggest that OA management may not necessitate a specialized focus on cardiovascular risk factors.
• Further research could explore specific causes of death within OA cohorts.