Recall Bias Affects Pain Assessment in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the recall bias of symptoms evaluation in knee osteoarthritis (OA).

In this multicentric pilot study, 50 patients with knee OA used a mobile App (Ecological Momentary Assessment [EMA]) to collect pain and function on two 0 to 10 numerical rating scales (NRS) 2 times a day for 2 months. At the 1-month and at the 2-month follow-up visits, patients retrospectively evaluated the mean level of pain/function of the last month. Recall bias was computed as the difference between the mean level of pain/function reported using the App and the level reported with the retrospective assessment. The correlation between the recall bias and patients' characteristics, as well as pain/function trajectories, was analyzed.

A statistically significant recall bias was documented with higher pain reported at 1-month with the retrospective assessment (P < 0.001). These results were confirmed also at the 2-month follow-up (P = 0.002). For function, no significant recall bias was documented. During the first and second months, 47 and 31 patients showed pain peaks, respectively. The number of pain peaks during the first month was correlated with the magnitude of the recall bias (P = 0.02).

The recall bias influences the retrospective self-assessment of pain at the follow-up visits and the presence of pain peaks, a common event in the patients with OA, increases the magnitude of recall bias. The EMA performed with a mobile App is a useful tool to limit the influence of recall bias in the clinical and research setting evaluation of knee OA.