Osteoarthritis (OA) of the KneePACE-OANCT06681142
Pharmacist-physiotherapist Collaborative Management for Early Knee Osteoarthritis
A study testing Pharmacy-Physiotherapy Intervention in people with Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee and Physiotherapy, run by University of Alberta at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slowly progressive chronic condition that is associated with aging and is characterized as joint pain. Individuals with early-stage OA usually do not seek medical attention. If and when they do, patients more often present to a pharmacy for over-the-counter medications. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy
- What is being tested?
- Pharmacy-Physiotherapy Intervention
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 125 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 13 Aug 2025to 1 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 50 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- regularly experiencing pain, aching, or stiffness in and/or around the knee for at least 1 month
- complete the screening PhIT-OA questionnaire
Who cannot join
- Prior total knee replacement or on the waitlist to have your knee replaced
- Knee surgery within the previous 4 months
- History of acute injury to knee within previous 6 months
- Unable to speak and read English
- Unwilling or unable to visit a physiotherapist at a community physiotherapy clinic (specifically the dates and times of the partnering physiotherapy clinic)
- Previous physician-diagnosed inflammatory arthritis (including this list): Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Lupus, Gout
Show all 11Show fewer
- Physician diagnosed fibromyalgia
- A sudden, severely painful, hot, swollen joint at any time in the past
- History of the following medications: csDMARD or bDMARD or tsDMARD, Immunosuppressive, Allopurinol or febuxostat, Colchicine
- Received a knee joint injection in the past 3 months or have one scheduled in the next 3 months
- Has completed the GLA:D Hip and Knee program at all in the past
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Jordyn Burgar contact
Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Mint Health & Drugs Sherwood Park
Sherwood Park, Alberta
Jordyn Burgar, 780-989-1282, burgar@ualberta.ca
About this study
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slowly progressive chronic condition that is associated with aging and is characterized as joint pain. Individuals with early-stage OA usually do not seek medical attention. If and when they do, patients more often present to a pharmacy for over-the-counter medications.
The investigators want to leverage community pharmacists' accessibility and scope of practice to best support patients with early knee OA. Given there are no disease-modifying treatments for OA, treatment guidelines center on patient education, self-management, and exercise, with medications playing a supporting role. Self-management is an effective strategy that provides a solid foundation for managing this progressive chronic condition and health care professionals like physiotherapists and pharmacists can help with the development and application of these skills.
Read the detailed description
Pharmacists will identify patients with knee pain using two recruitment strategies: (1) Posters placed near the dispensary and 'shelf talkers' placed near the over-the-counter non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and natural health products (e.g. glucosamine, collagen) will recommend patients with knee pain talk to their pharmacist and (2) Patients receiving care by a pharmacist for other conditions that have similar risk factors as OA will be asked about symptomatic knee OA (e.g. obesity).
The inclusion criteria is patients 50 years of age or older who have been regularly experiencing pain, aching, or stiffness in and/or around the knee for at least 1 month. The exclusion criteria is patients with prior knee surgery, history of acute knee injury (6 months), unable or unwilling to attend physiotherapy, previous physician diagnoses of inflammatory arthritis or fibromyalgia, and unable to speak/ read English.
For those patients with probable symptomatic knee OA, the study will be explained and upon agreement, written consent will be secured. Following enrollment, the pharmacist will ask participants to complete the baseline assessments (in pharmacy or online):
- Knee injury and OA Outcome Score (KOOS) -Reason for visiting the pharmacy
- Socio-demographics (DOB, sex/gender, education, marital status, employment) -Past medical history (chronic conditions, current medications, height/weight, other joint involvement) -Previous medications/injections trialed for knee pain -Lifestyle activities (smoking, alcohol use, walking tolerance and any assistive walking devices) -Co-interventions (eg. chiropractor, joint injections, naturopath) -Self-management (Patient Activation Measure) The pharmacist will also answer questions that participants may have regarding services and medications.
Participants will be randomized to either the control arm which is usual care or the intervention arm which includes a referral to physiotherapy and a comprehensive medication review. Randomization will occur in variable computer-generated blocks of 4-8 participants. Following the enrolment, the pharmacist will receive a code that randomizes the patients into either the treatment group (comprehensive pharmacist assessment, pharmacologic recommendations, and education with referral to physiotherapy) or usual care (brief assessment and recommendation by the pharmacist, education information brochure).
If participants have a family physician, the pharmacist will provide a notice that the patient likely has knee OA and is enrolled in this study. The name of the pharmacist and physiotherapist will be provided.
- Conditions
- Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy
- Being tested
- Pharmacy-Physiotherapy Intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Osteoarthritis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pharmacy-Physiotherapy InterventionOther
Pharmacists will provide comprehensive 1:1 patient care, including a complete patient assessment and medication review, provide specific drug therapy recommendation(s) using shared decision making (SDM), and provide patient education, including further written materials.
Participants will be offered either individual or group physiotherapy sessions at the a private clinic.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Usual Care (Control) Group | No intervention | Pharmacists will provide a general educational pamphlet and will inform the primary care physician of patient participation and referral for further assessment of knee OA. Participants randomized to this group will be offered physiotherapy and/or pharmacy interventions (individual or GLA:D program 3 months after enrollment) and pharmacy options (comprehensive medication review). It will be explained to participants that usual care is 'conservative therapy'. Usual care participants will be eligible to opt in for a comprehensive medication review (pharmacist) and/or the physiotherapy sessions and will be evaluated at 9-months after enrollment. |
| Intervention Group | Experimental | Pharmacists will provide comprehensive 1:1 patient care, including a SCHOLAR assessment and medication review, provide specific drug therapy recommendation(s) using shared decision making (SDM), and provide comprehensive patient education/resources. Pharmacists will refer to physiotherapy clinics located nearby for patient convenience and to establish community pharmacy/physiotherapy clinic relationships.
Participants will be offered a physiotherapy assessment at a nearby physiotherapy clinic within 2 weeks of being assessed by the pharmacist. After the physiotherapy assessment session, participants who are diagnosed with symptomatic knee OA will be offered the GLA:D program for knee OA which includes 6-weeks of neuromuscular exercises along with 2 education session in a group format. Receives: Other: Pharmacy-Physiotherapy Intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Disease specific self-report measure for OA
The Knee Injury in OA Outcome Score (KOOS) from 0-100 where a higher score is a better outcome.
Measured: Baseline, Post Intervention (3 & 6 month after baseline)
Secondary outcomes (1)
Patient Activation Measure (PAM)
Scale from 0-100 where a higher score is a better outcome.
Measured: Baseline, Post Intervention (3 & 6 month after baseline)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Nov 2024
- Study start13 Aug 2025
- Primary completion1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Osteoarthritis (OA) of the KneeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of AlbertaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 125 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alberta
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Ross Tsuyuki, Principal investigator, University of AlbertaJill Hall, Principal investigator, University of AlbertaAllyson Jones, Principal investigator, University of Alberta
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06681142
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro00145908
- Acronym
- PACE-OA
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Nov 2024
- Last updated
- 27 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pharmacist-physiotherapist Collaborative Management for Early Knee Osteoarthritis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06681142
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PACE-OA / Pro00145908
- Conditions
- Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 125 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of AlbertaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 8 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slowly progressive chronic condition that is associated with aging and is characterized as joint pain. Individuals with early-stage OA usually do not seek medical attention. If and when they do, patients more often present to a pharmacy for over-the-counter medications.
The investigators want to leverage community pharmacists' accessibility and scope of practice to best support patients with early knee OA. Given there are no disease-modifying treatments for OA, treatment guidelines center on patient education, self-management, and exercise, with medications playing a supporting role. Self-management is an effective strategy that provides a solid foundation for managing this progressive chronic condition and health care professionals like physiotherapists and pharmacists can help with the development and application of these skills.
Detailed description
Pharmacists will identify patients with knee pain using two recruitment strategies: (1) Posters placed near the dispensary and 'shelf talkers' placed near the over-the-counter non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and natural health products (e.g. glucosamine, collagen) will recommend patients with knee pain talk to their pharmacist and (2) Patients receiving care by a pharmacist for other conditions that have similar risk factors as OA will be asked about symptomatic knee OA (e.g. obesity).
The inclusion criteria is patients 50 years of age or older who have been regularly experiencing pain, aching, or stiffness in and/or around the knee for at least 1 month. The exclusion criteria is patients with prior knee surgery, history of acute knee injury (6 months), unable or unwilling to attend physiotherapy, previous physician diagnoses of inflammatory arthritis or fibromyalgia, and unable to speak/ read English.
For those patients with probable symptomatic knee OA, the study will be explained and upon agreement, written consent will be secured. Following enrollment, the pharmacist will ask participants to complete the baseline assessments (in pharmacy or online):
- Knee injury and OA Outcome Score (KOOS) -Reason for visiting the pharmacy
- Socio-demographics (DOB, sex/gender, education, marital status, employment) -Past medical history (chronic conditions, current medications, height/weight, other joint involvement) -Previous medications/injections trialed for knee pain -Lifestyle activities (smoking, alcohol use, walking tolerance and any assistive walking devices) -Co-interventions (eg. chiropractor, joint injections, naturopath) -Self-management (Patient Activation Measure) The pharmacist will also answer questions that participants may have regarding services and medications.
Participants will be randomized to either the control arm which is usual care or the intervention arm which includes a referral to physiotherapy and a comprehensive medication review. Randomization will occur in variable computer-generated blocks of 4-8 participants. Following the enrolment, the pharmacist will receive a code that randomizes the patients into either the treatment group (comprehensive pharmacist assessment, pharmacologic recommendations, and education with referral to physiotherapy) or usual care (brief assessment and recommendation by the pharmacist, education information brochure).
If participants have a family physician, the pharmacist will provide a notice that the patient likely has knee OA and is enrolled in this study. The name of the pharmacist and physiotherapist will be provided.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Usual Care (Control) Group | No intervention | –Pharmacists will provide a general educational pamphlet and will inform the primary care physician of patient participation and referral for further assessment of knee OA. Participants randomized to this group will be offered physiotherapy and/or pharmacy interventions (individual or GLA:D program 3 months after enrollment) and pharmacy options (comprehensive medication review). It will be explained to participants that usual care is 'conservative therapy'. Usual care participants will be eligible to opt in for a comprehensive medication review (pharmacist) and/or the physiotherapy sessions and will be evaluated at 9-months after enrollment. |
| Intervention Group | Experimental | Other: Pharmacy-Physiotherapy InterventionPharmacists will provide comprehensive 1:1 patient care, including a SCHOLAR assessment and medication review, provide specific drug therapy recommendation(s) using shared decision making (SDM), and provide comprehensive patient education/resources. Pharmacists will refer to physiotherapy clinics located nearby for patient convenience and to establish community pharmacy/physiotherapy clinic relationships. Participants will be offered a physiotherapy assessment at a nearby physiotherapy clinic within 2 weeks of being assessed by the pharmacist. After the physiotherapy assessment session, participants who are diagnosed with symptomatic knee OA will be offered the GLA:D program for knee OA which includes 6-weeks of neuromuscular exercises along with 2 education session in a group format. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- regularly experiencing pain, aching, or stiffness in and/or around the knee for at least 1 month
- complete the screening PhIT-OA questionnaire
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Prior total knee replacement or on the waitlist to have your knee replaced
- Knee surgery within the previous 4 months
- History of acute injury to knee within previous 6 months
- Unable to speak and read English
- Unwilling or unable to visit a physiotherapist at a community physiotherapy clinic (specifically the dates and times of the partnering physiotherapy clinic)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy-Physiotherapy InterventionPharmacists will provide comprehensive 1:1 patient care, including a complete patient assessment and medication review, provide specific drug therapy recommendation(s) using shared decision making (SDM), and provide patient education, including further written materials. Participants will be offered either individual or group physiotherapy sessions at the a private clinic. | Other | Intervention Group |
Primary outcome
Disease specific self-report measure for OA
Time frame: Baseline, Post Intervention (3 & 6 month after baseline)
The Knee Injury in OA Outcome Score (KOOS) from 0-100 where a higher score is a better outcome.
1 secondary outcome
Patient Activation Measure (PAM)
Time frame: Baseline, Post Intervention (3 & 6 month after baseline)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
Related trials for Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee
Not yet recruiting
The Feasibility of a Virtual/Home-based OA Treatment Program in Older Adults With OA and Multimorbidity
Osteoarthritis of the Knee
RecruitingPhase 3
A Study to Learn About Study Medicine Called Berobenatide in Adults With Knee Pain and Overweight or Obesity (VESPER-OA 1)
Obesity, Overweight
RecruitingPhase 3
A Study to Learn About Berobenatide Given Once Weekly in Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis and Overweight or Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes (VESPER-OA 2)
Obesity, Overweight and/or Obesity
Not yet recruiting
Opioid Reduction and Enhanced Recovery in Orthopaedic Surgery (OREOS)-Knee
Knee Arthroplasty, Total, Partial Knee Arthroplasty
RecruitingPhase 2
Genicular Artery Embolization for Reducing Pain in Medically Refractory Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee Osteoarthritis, Knee Osteoarthritis (Knee OA)
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Jordyn Burgar contact
Ross Tsuyuki principal investigator
University of Alberta
Jill Hall principal investigator
University of Alberta
Allyson Jones principal investigator
University of Alberta
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Pharmacy-Physiotherapy Intervention in people with Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee and Physiotherapy, run by University of Alberta at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Oct 2026. 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 Canada. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Allyson Jones (780-492-2020, cajones@ualberta.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Disease specific self-report measure for OA (time frame: Baseline, Post Intervention (3 & 6 month after baseline)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 27 Oct 2026.