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Osteoarthritis year in review 2019: epidemiology and therapy
1Departments of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Insights
Osteoarthritis (OA) research shows limited benefits and higher risks for current drugs. New treatments are emerging, and joint replacement remains effective, with updated data on longevity.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Rheumatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is a growing global health concern.
- Recent research highlights increasing impact and complexity of OA.
- Understanding OA pain development has advanced significantly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in osteoarthritis research from May 2018 to April 2019.
- To identify studies with novel insights relevant to clinical practice.
- To evaluate current and emerging OA treatment modalities.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of published studies and clinical trials.
- Subjective selection of articles based on novelty and clinical importance.
- Focus on pharmacological treatments, pain development, and joint replacement outcomes.
Main Results:
- Established pharmacological treatments for OA demonstrate limited efficacy and potentially higher risks than anticipated.
- Emerging pharmacological treatments show promise, but require further investigation.
- Joint replacement surgery remains a viable option, with new data on implant durability.
Conclusions:
- Current OA guidelines may need reconsideration due to treatment limitations.
- Further research is essential for validating new pharmacological therapies.
- Continued evaluation of joint replacement longevity is crucial for patient management.
Abstract:
Over the past year many studies and clinical trials have been published in the osteoarthritis (OA) field. This review is based on systematic literature review covering the period May 1st, 2018 to April 19th, 2019; the final selection of articles was subjective. Specifically those articles considered to be presenting novel insights and of potential importance for clinical practice, are discussed. Further evidence has emerged that OA is a serious disease with increasing impact worldwide. Our understanding of development of pain in OA has increased. Detailed studies investigating widely used pharmacological treatments have shown the benefits to be limited, whereas the risks seem higher than expected, suggesting further studies and reconsideration of currently used guidelines. Promising new pharmacological treatments have been developed and published, however subsequent studies are warranted. While waiting for new treatment modalities to appear joint replacement is an effective alternative; new data have become available on how long they might last.
