[Disability and common treatment strategies associated with knee pain in a rural Chinese population].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the burden of disability and health services use by people with knee pain, with or without radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis (OA), in rural northern China.


METHODS
A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1030 residents of Wuchuan County, Inner Mongolia, aged 50 years old and over. The participants completed an interviewer-based questionnaire and obtained bilateral weight-bearing posterior-anterior semi-flexed knee radiographs.


RESULTS
Of 1027 participants with knee radiographs, 513 (50%) participants reported knee pain in most days of at least a month over the past 12 months. Of those with knee pain, 109 (21%) had radiographic OA (Kellgren Lawrence grade > or =2) in symptomatic knees. Adjusting for age, gender, BMI, education and back pain, the presence of knee pain was associated with a significantly greater difficulty in walking, climbing 10 steps, stooping, performing cleaning chores and preparing meals. Among 513 subjects with knee pain, the presence of radiographic disease was significantly associated with the presence of unbearable pain (36% vs. 59%), restricted activity (39% vs. 64%), use of NSAIDs (78% vs. 88%) and consulting a doctor over the last 12 months (33% vs. 59%).


CONCLUSIONS
Knee pain is associated with significant physical disability in rural China The prevalent use of NSAIDs for knee pain and a low use of knee surgery should be of particular concerns. These findings will be useful to guide the distribution of future health care resources and preventive strategies.
Lin
Jian-hao
JH
Arthritis Institute, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China. jianhao_lin@yahoo.com
Kang
Xiao-zheng
XZ
Fransen
Marlene
M
Li
Hu
H
Ke
Yan
Y
Wang
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Zhang
Yuqing
Y
Su
Steve
S
D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence