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OsteoarthritisNCT03438630

Health and Risk Factors in Patients With Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis

An observational study of Osteoarthritis, run by Vastra Gotaland Region at 1 site in Sweden.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Hip and knee osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of global disability. There is no cure for the disease, but research and guidelines recommends that patients with osteoarthritis, early after the diagnosis, receive individually adapted physical exercises, information about their disease and about… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
Conditions the study is for
Osteoarthritis
How many people
288,276 participants
Where
1 siteSweden
Study dates
Jan 2008to Jun 2020
How long will I take part?
5 Years
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Study population: The population who has received standardized core treatment of education and supervised exercises for hip and knee osteoarthritis and been registered in the BOA Register

Inclusion Criteria: for participation in the standardized core treatment (of education and supervised exercises) and registration in the BOA Register are;

  • pain from the knee or hip.
  • diagnosis of osteoarthritis confirmed by a physical therapist, by medical history and a physical examination based on the clinical criteria for osteoarthritis

Exclusion Criteria: for participation in the standardized core treatment and registration in the BOA Register are;

  • confirmed or suspicion of tumor, rheumatoid arthritis, sequel hip fracture, chronic pain or fibromyalgia,
  • total joint replacement within the past 12 months,
  • other surgery of the knee or hip joint within the past 3 months,
  • not able to read or understand Swedish

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Sweden1 site
  • Vastra Gotaland

    Gothenburg

Other trials in Sweden

About this study

Hip and knee osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of global disability. There is no cure for the disease, but research and guidelines recommends that patients with osteoarthritis, early after the diagnosis, receive individually adapted physical exercises, information about their disease and about self-management and, if needed, recommendations on weight loss as a core treatment to prevent disability and impairment in health. This core treatment improves symptoms in osteoarthritis by reducing pain and increasing function, and have the potential to delay replacement surgery. In Sweden, core treatment has since 2008, been standardized in a supported self-management programme and evaluation and follow-ups are registered in the National Quality Register BOA (Better management of patients with OsteoArthritis). The course of deterioration in pain and physical functioning among different individuals with osteoarthritis is currently difficult to predict. Factors such as socioeconomic status and comorbidity contribute to progression of the disease, but are not fully established. There is a need for early identification of individuals who have a good prognosis with slow disease development and those that should be recommended joint replacement surgery in the future. Overriding aim of the study is to increase knowledge about the population who has received education and supervised exercises as a core treatment for hip and knee osteoarthritis and been registered in the BOA Register and to identify factors that can predict long-term outcome for this population.

Read the detailed description

Study design: This is a nationwide observational cohort study using prospectively obtained individual-level register data from five main sources; the BOA Register, the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register (SHAR), the Swedish Knee Arthroplasty Register (SKAR), Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden. By using the personal identity number (PIN) that is unique to all citizens in Sweden, data will be merged together to create a research database that will be used for answering the following research questions in the study:

  1. What are the differences between the population included in the BOA Register and the general Swedish population regarding health and socioeconomic factors?
  2. What factors that predicts replacement surgery can be identified at the first registration, 3 months and/or 12 months follow-up, in the BOA Register in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis?
  3. What factors that predicts outcome after replacement surgery can be identified at the first registration, 3 months and/or 12 months follow-up in the BOA Register, in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis?

Study population:The study cohort consists of all patients with a first registration (baseline) in the BOA Register between 2008 and 2016 (approximately n=75 000). These patients have sought treatment for knee and/or hip pain in primary health care in Sweden and been referred to the standardized core treatment of education and supervised exercises after confirmed clinical and/or radiographic osteoarthritis diagnose.

A control cohort (approximately n=225 000) covering the general Swedish population, who never have been included in the BOA register, will be recruited from the Swedish population register at Statistics Sweden and matched (1:3) to each patient in the study cohort by the same year of birth, gender and residence (as for the study cohort at baseline).

Data sources: In the study the investigators will collect the following data from the five registers: from the BOA Register: data reported by patients (e.g. most affected joint, pain, symptoms, health-related quality of life and physical activity level) and physiotherapists (e.g. earlier examinations and treatments) at baseline (the first registration before the standardized core treatment), and three and 12 months after. From the SHAR and the SKAR: patient-related and procedure-related data on all hip- and knee replacement surgeries in Sweden, including patient-reported outcomes (PROM) such as joint pain, health-related quality of life and satisfaction with treatment before surgery and one year postoperatively. From Statistics Sweden: data on socioeconomic factors and vital events such as birth, death, residence and marital status. From the National Board of Health and Welfare: data on comorbidity, health care consumption and expenditures of prescribed drugs.

Conditions
Osteoarthritis
Keywords
socioeconomic factors, comorbidity, replacement surgery
Medical subject headings
Osteoarthritis

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Study groups in NCT03438630
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Study cohortAll patients with a first registration (baseline) in the BOA Register between 2008 and 2016 (approximately n=75 000). These patients have sought treatment for knee and/or hip pain in primary health care in Sweden and been referred to the standardized core treatment of education and supervised exercises after confirmed clinical and/or radiographic OA diagnose.
Control cohortCovering the general Swedish population, who never have been included in the BOA register, will be recruited from the Swedish population register at Statistics Sweden and matched (1:3) to each patient in the study cohort by the same year of birth, gender and residence (as for the study cohort at baseline) (approximately n=225 000).

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Replacement surgery

    Information from the SHAR and the SKAR Registers on eventual replacement surgery

    Measured: up to the end of 2016

Secondary outcomes (26)
  1. Socioeconomic factors - marital status

    Data obtained from Statistics Sweden on marital status

    Measured: at baseline

  2. Socioeconomic factors - education level

    Data obtained from Statistics Sweden on education level

    Measured: at baseline

  3. Socioeconomic factors - country of birth

    Data obtained from Statistics Sweden on country of birth

    Measured: at baseline

  4. Socioeconomic factors - occupation

    Data obtained from Statistics Sweden on occupation

    Measured: at baseline

  5. Socioeconomic factors - income

    Data obtained from Statistics Sweden on income

    Measured: within three years prior to baseline

  6. Socioeconomic factors - sick leave

    Data obtained from Statistics Sweden on sick leave

    Measured: within three years prior to baseline

  7. Consumption of drugs

    Data on expenditures of prescribed drugs from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register at the National Board of Health Care, Sweden

    Measured: within three years prior to baseline

  8. Death

    eventually registered as dead by Statistics Sweden

    Measured: up to the end of 2016

  9. Comorbidity

    Data from the National Board of Health and Welfare on registered ICD10-codes

    Measured: within three years prior to baseline

  10. Health care consumption

    Data from the National Board of Health and Welfare on admission and discharge dates from health care units

    Measured: within three years prior to baseline

  11. Comorbidity

    Data from the National Board of Health and Welfare on registered classification of surgical interventions

    Measured: within three years prior to baseline

  12. Patient-reported outcome measure on most affected joint

    Data from the BOA Register on most affected joint

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  13. Patient-reported outcome measure on fear avoidance

    Data from the BOA Register on fear avoidance

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  14. Patient-reported outcome measure on physical activity

    Data from the BOA Register on physical activity level measured by questionnaire "In a typical week, how much time do you spend doing physical activity"

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  15. Patient-reported outcome measure on satisfaction with treatment

    Data from the BOA Register on satisfaction with treatment (the standardized core treatment) results measured by questionnaire

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  16. Patient-reported outcome measure musculoskeletal comorbidity

    Data from the BOA Register on musculoskeletal comorbidity measured in Charnley class (classifications of musculoskeletal impairment. Class A corresponds with unilateral hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA); Class B bilateral hip or knee OA; and Class C indicates multiple joint OA or some other condition that inhibits the patient's ability to walk)

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  17. Patient-reported outcome measure on pain

    Data from the BOA Register on pain in most affected joint, measured on VAS; (visual analogue scale) rating from 0-100, were 0 stands for no pain and 100 for maximum pain

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  18. Patient-reported outcome measure on health-related quality of life

    Data from the BOA Register on health-related quality of life measured by EuroQol 5-domain instrument (EQ-5D). The instrument consists of questions assessing 5 health outcome domains; mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/ depression, and is summarized into a single score between 0 and 1 (full health). The instrument also includes a VAS assessing current overall health state scoring from 0 (worst imaginable health state) to 100 (best imaginable health state).

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  19. Patient-reported outcome measure on self-efficacy

    Data from the BOA Register on self-efficacy on ASES (Arthritis self-efficacy scale). ASES is a self-administered questionnaire which contains 11 items divided into 2 subgroups, self-efficacy pain and self-efficacy other symptoms. Each question is scored from 10 to 100, with "moderately certain" place midway between "very uncertain" and "very certain". Each subscale is scored separately, by taking the mean of the subscale items.

    Measured: at baseline, and at three and 12 months

  20. Physiotherapist-reported earlier examinations

    Data from the BOA Register on earlier examinations of the affected joint prior to the standardized core treatment

    Measured: at baseline and at three months

  21. Physiotherapist-reported earlier interventions

    Data from the BOA Register on earlier interventions, prior to the standardized core treatment

    Measured: at baseline and at three months

  22. Physiotherapist-reported compliance with intervention

    Data from the BOA Register on compliance with the standardized core treatment intervention

    Measured: at baseline and at three months

  23. Patient-reported outcome measures on satisfaction with treatment

    Data from the SHAR and the SKAR Register on satisfaction with treatment (replacement surgery)

    Measured: before replacement surgery and at follow up one year

  24. Patient-reported outcome measures - musculoskeletal comorbidity

    Data from the SHAR and the SKAR Register on musculoskeletal comorbidity measured by Charnley class (Class A corresponds to unilateral hip/knee disease; Class B bilateral hip/knee disease; and Class C indicates multiple joint disease or some other condition that inhibits the patient's ability to walk).

    Measured: before replacement surgery and at follow up one year

  25. Patient-reported outcome measures - pain

    Data from the SHAR and the SKAR Register on pain from a VAS; visual analogue scale rating from 0-100, were 0 stands for no pain and 100 for maximum pain

    Measured: before replacement surgery and at follow up one year

  26. Patient-reported outcome measures - health-related quality of life

    Data from the SHAR and the SKAR Register on health-related quality of life measured by EuroQol 5-domain instrument (EQ-5D). The instrument consists of questions assessing 5 health outcome domains; mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/ depression, and is summarized into a single score between 0 and 1 (full health). The instrument also includes a VAS assessing current overall health state scoring from 0 (worst imaginable health state) to 100 (best imaginable health state).

    Measured: before replacement surgery and at follow up one year

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted20 Feb 2018
  2. Study startJan 2008
  3. Primary completionDec 2016
  4. Study completionJun 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Other
Enrolment
288,276 participants (actual)
Target duration
5 Years
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03438630
Sponsor's protocol ID
160176
Status last verified
Oct 2021
First submitted
30 Jan 2018
Last updated
23 Sep 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Gustafsson K, Kvist J, Eriksson M, Rolfson O. What Factors Identified in Initial Osteoarthritis Management Are Associated With Poor Patient-reported Outcomes After THA? A Register-based Study. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2023 Sep 1;481(9):1732-1742. doi: 10.1097/CORR.0000000000002681. Epub 2023 May 9.

    PubMed 37159269
  • Gustafsson K, Kvist J, Eriksson M, Dell'Isola A, Zhou C, Dahlberg LE, Rolfson O. Health status of individuals referred to first-line intervention for hip and knee osteoarthritis compared with the general population: an observational register-based study. BMJ Open. 2021 Sep 13;11(9):e049476. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049476.

    PubMed 34518262
  • Gustafsson K, Rolfson O, Eriksson M, Dahlberg L, Kvist J. Study protocol for an observational register-based study on health and risk factors in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis. BMJ Open. 2018 Oct 3;8(10):e022812. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022812.

    PubMed 30287673

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Osteoarthritis, run by Vastra Gotaland Region at 1 site in Sweden.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Sep 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Sweden. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Replacement surgery (time frame: up to the end of 2016). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03438630, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Sep 2025.

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