title: Association Between Physical Therapy and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease and Dyslipidemia Among Osteoarthritis Patients: A Nationwide Database Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide empirical evidence on the effect of early physical therapy (PT) within the first year of osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis on reduction in OA-related comorbidities in patients with OA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted using a nationally representative sample of 1 million National Health Insurance enrollees.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newly diagnosed patients with OA (N=13,545). One-to-one propensity score matching was used to match patients who received PT within the first year of OA diagnosis (PT group; n=3403) with an equal number of patients with OA who did not receive PT (non-PT group).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 4-year cumulative risk of comorbidities including coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal tract ulcer, and renal failure was estimated. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to identify the dose-response relation between the PT dosage and the risk of OA-related comorbidities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3403 patients (25.1%) received PT within the first year of OA diagnosis. The PT group had a significantly lower 4-year cumulative risk of dyslipidemia (P=.05) and a potentially lower 4-year cumulative risk of CAD (P=.09). After adjusting for other potential confounders, the Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that patients with OA who received a high PT dosage had a low risk of CAD and dyslipidemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with OA who received PT had a lower risk of OA-related comorbidities such as dyslipidemia or CAD.
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Huan-Jui
authors: HJ
authors: Yeh
authors: Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yiing-Jenq
authors: YJ
authors: Chou
authors: Department of Orthopedics, Keelung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors: Nan-Ping
authors: NP
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Chi-Chia
authors: CC
authors: Cheng
authors: Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: syhuang@ym.edu.tw.
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D057216:Propensity Score; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Comorbidity; Dyslipidemias; Osteoarthritis; Physical therapy modalities; Rehabilitation