Intra-articular Pulsed Radiofrequency Neuromodulation Versus Intra-articular Steroids for Painful Knee Osteoarthritis

Background: Canes have been recommended as walking aids for knee osteoarthritis to reduce the loading on the affected knee. Patients are usually recommended to hold the cane in the contralateral hand to the affected knee. Nevertheless, some patients prefer to hold the cane ipsilateral to the affected knee. However, the effect of using ipsilateral or contralateral tripod cane on functional mobility in patients with knee osteoarthritis is still unknown Objective: To compare the immediate effect of ipsilateral and contralateral tripod cane usage on functional mobility in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis Method: This cross-sectional study involved 30 overweight or obese patients with symptomatic unilateral or bilateral knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren Lawrence grade 2 and 3) who never use a cane. Functional mobility was evaluated with Time Up and Go test in three conditions; without walking aid, with tripod cane contralateral and ipsilateral to the more painful knee. Results: The TUG time of aid-free walking is 4.75 (p < 0.001, 95% CI 3.79 - 5.71) seconds faster than ipsilateral cane use and 6.69 (p < 0.001, 95%CI 5.35 - 8.03) seconds faster than contralateral cane use. The TUG time of ipsilateral cane use is 1,94 (95% CI, 1.13 - 2.79) seconds faster than contralateral. Conclusion: Patients with symptomatic knee OA who use tripod cane ipsilateral to the more painful knee have higher functional mobility than the contralateral.

Download Full-text

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the Fremantle Knee Awareness Questionnaire in Italian subjects with painful knee osteoarthritis

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes ◽

10.1186/s12955-021-01754-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Marco Monticone ◽

Cristiano Sconza ◽

Igor Portoghese ◽

Tomohiko Nishigami ◽

Benedict M. Wand ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Construct Validity ◽

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Pain Intensity ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Structural Validity ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Knee Oa ◽

Pain Catastrophising ◽

Test Retest Reliability ◽

Painful Knee

Abstract Background and aim Growing attention is being given to utilising physical function measures to better understand and manage knee osteoarthritis (OA). The Fremantle Knee Awareness Questionnaire (FreKAQ), a self-reported measure of body-perception specific to the knee, has never been validated in Italian patients. The aims of this study were to culturally adapt and validate the Italian version of the FreKAQ (FreKAQ-I), to allow for its use with Italian-speaking patients with painful knee OA. Methods The FreKAQ-I was developed by means of forward–backward translation, a final review by an expert committee and a test of the pre-final version to evaluate its comprehensibility. The psychometric testing included: internal structural validity by Rasch analysis; construct validity by assessing hypotheses of FreKAQ correlations with the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS), a pain intensity numerical rating scale (PI-NRS), the pain catastrophising scale (PCS), and the Hospital anxiety and depression score (HADS) (Pearson’s correlations); known-group validity by evaluating the ability of FreKAQ scores to discriminate between two groups of participants with different clinical profiles (Mann–Whitney U test); reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC2.1); and measurement error by calculating the minimum detectable change (MDC). Results It took one month to develop a consensus-based version of the FreKAQ-I. The questionnaire was administered to 102 subjects with painful knee OA and was well accepted. Internal structural validity confirmed the substantial unidimensionality of the FreKAQ-I: variance explained was 53.3%, the unexplained variance in the first contrast showed an eigenvalue of 1.8, and no local dependence was detected. Construct validity was good as all of the hypotheses were met; correlations: KOOS (rho = 0.38–0.51), PI-NRS (rho = 0.35–0.37), PCS (rho = 0.47) and HADS (Anxiety rho = 0.36; Depression rho = 0.43). Regarding known-groups validity, FreKAQ scores were significantly different between groups of participants demonstrating high and low levels of pain intensity, pain catastrophising, anxiety, depression and the four KOOS subscales (p ≤ 0.004). Internal consistency was acceptable (α = 0.74) and test–retest reliability was excellent (ICC = 0.92, CI 0.87–0.94). The MDC95 was 5.22 scale points. Conclusion The FreKAQ-I is unidimensional, reliable and valid in Italian patients with painful knee OA. Its use is recommended for clinical and research purposes.

Download Full-text

Peer Review #2 of "Illusory resizing of the painful knee is analgesic in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (v0.2)"

10.7287/peerj.5206v0.2/reviews/2 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

M Slater

Keyword(s):

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Peer Review ◽

Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Symptomatic Knee ◽

Painful Knee

Download Full-text

Bipolar Versus Unipolar Intraarticular Pulsed Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation in Chronic Knee Pain Treatment: A Prospective Randomized Trial

January 2018 - Pain Physician ◽

10.36076/ppj.2017.206 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (20;3) ◽

pp. 197-206 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ersel Gulec

Keyword(s):

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Knee Pain ◽

Pain Treatment ◽

Pain Clinic ◽

Treatment Quality ◽

Double Blind Study ◽

Pulsed Radiofrequency ◽

Chronic Knee Pain ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Group B

Background: Chronic knee pain is a major widespread problem causing significant impairment of daily function. Pulsed radiofrequency has been shown to reduce severe chronic joint pain as a non-pharmacological and less invasive treatment method. Objective: We aimed to compare the effectiveness of unipolar and bipolar intraarticular pulsed radiofrequency methods in chronic knee pain control. Study Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Setting: Pain clinic in Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine. Methods: One hundred patients, aged 20 – 70 years with grade 2 or 3 knee osteoarthritis were included in this study. Patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups to receive either unipolar (group U, n = 50) or bipolar (group B, n = 50) intraarticular pulsed radiofrequency (IAPRF) with a 45 V voltage, 2 Hz frequency, 42° C temperature, 10 msec pulse width, and 10 minute duration. We recorded visual analog scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index LK 3.1WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index LK 3.1) scores of patients at baseline and one, 4, and 12 weeks after the procedure. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients with ≥ 50% reduction in knee pain at 12 weeks after the procedure. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups according to VAS scores at all post-intervention time points. In group B, 84% of patients, and in the group U, 50% of patients achieved at least 50% knee pain relief from the baseline to 3 months. In group B, WOMAC scores were significantly lower than the group U at one and 3 months. Limitations: Lack of long-term clinical results and supportive laboratory tests. Conclusion: Bipolar IAPRF is more advantageous in reducing chronic knee pain and functional recovery compared with unipolar IAPRF. Further studies with longer follow-up times, laboratorybased tests, and different generator settings are required to establish the clinical importance and well-defined mechanism of action of PRF. This study protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT02141529), on May 15, 2014. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval date: January 16, 2014, and number: 26/9 Key words: Chronic pain, intraarticular, knee joint, knee osteoarthritis, pain management, pulsed radiofrequency treatment, quality of life, recovery of function

Download Full-text