Is there an increased risk of falls and fractures in people with early diagnosed hip and knee osteoarthritis? Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Aims: To assess the probability of individuals with early-diagnosed hip or knee osteoarthritis experiencing a fall and/or fracture compared to a cohort without osteoarthritis.

Methods: Data were analysed from the Osteoarthritis Initiative dataset. We identified all people who were diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis within a 12 month period, compared to those without osteoarthritis. We determined whether there was a difference in the occurrence of falls, with or without a consequential fractures, between people newly diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis compared to those who had not using odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: 552 individuals with hip osteoarthritis were compared to 4244 individuals without hip osteoarthritis. 1350 individuals with knee osteoarthritis were compared to 3445 individuals without knee osteoarthritis. People with knee osteoarthritis had a 54% greater chance of experiencing a fall compared to those without (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.35 to 1.77). People with hip osteoarthritis had a 52% greater chance of experiencing a fall compared to those without hip osteoarthritis (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.84). People with knee and hip osteoarthritis demonstrated over an 80% greater chance of experiencing a fracture in the first 12 months of their diagnosis compared to those without hip or knee osteoarthritis (TKA: OR 1.81; THA: OR 1.84).

Conclusions: There is an increased risk of falls and fractures in early-diagnosed knee and hip osteoarthritis compared to those without osteoarthritis. International guidelines on the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis should consider the management of falls-risk.