Epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis in general practice: a registry-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The present study investigated (1) trends in the prevalence and incidence of knee osteoarthritis over a 20-year period (1996-2015); (2) trends in multimorbidity and (3) trends in drug prescriptions.

Design

Registry-based study.

Setting

Primary healthcare, Flanders, Belgium.

Participants

Data were collected from Intego, a general practice-based morbidity registration network. In the study period between 1996 and 2015, data from 440 140 unique patients were available.

Outcome measures

Trends in prevalence and incidence rate of knee osteoarthritis were computed using joinpoint regression analysis. The mean disease count was calculated to assess trends in multimorbidity. In addition, the number of drug prescriptions was identified by the Anatomica

SUBMITTER: Spitaels D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7044813 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature