Abstract
Background
Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis and total hip/knee joint replacement and can lead to poorer outcomes following surgical interventions.
Aim
This work aimed to determine the preliminary efficacy of a self-management programme versus usual care in improving health-related quality of life in obese patients with osteoarthritis awaiting joint replacement.
Methods
This was a two-group parallel randomised trial involving patients with obesity and osteoarthritis who were awaiting hip or knee arthroplasty. Patients were randomly allocated to the Flinders Program of self-management support plus usual care or usual care alone groups. Primary outcomes at 10 months were Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Osteoarthritis of Knee/Hip Quality of Life (OAKHQoL).
Results
Ninety-five patients were randomised to either intervention (n = 48) or usual care (n = 47) and analysed in an intent-to-treat analysis. While there was no intervention effect in SF-36, evidence was in favour of intervention for OAKQoL improved social support (d = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.01–0.83) versus usual care (d = −0.01, 95% CI: −0.41 to 0.42) (p = 0.03). Similarly, intervention patients experienced larger improvements for social activity (d = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.05–0.89) versus usual care (d = −0.16; 95% CI: −0.58 to 0.25) (p = 0.005).
Conclusion
The intervention warrants examination in a larger trial to establish effectiveness among patients with obesity and osteoarthritis awaiting arthroplasty.
Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000674538
Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis and total hip/knee joint replacement and can lead to poorer outcomes following surgical interventions.
Aim
This work aimed to determine the preliminary efficacy of a self-management programme versus usual care in improving health-related quality of life in obese patients with osteoarthritis awaiting joint replacement.
Methods
This was a two-group parallel randomised trial involving patients with obesity and osteoarthritis who were awaiting hip or knee arthroplasty. Patients were randomly allocated to the Flinders Program of self-management support plus usual care or usual care alone groups. Primary outcomes at 10 months were Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Osteoarthritis of Knee/Hip Quality of Life (OAKHQoL).
Results
Ninety-five patients were randomised to either intervention (n = 48) or usual care (n = 47) and analysed in an intent-to-treat analysis. While there was no intervention effect in SF-36, evidence was in favour of intervention for OAKQoL improved social support (d = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.01–0.83) versus usual care (d = −0.01, 95% CI: −0.41 to 0.42) (p = 0.03). Similarly, intervention patients experienced larger improvements for social activity (d = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.05–0.89) versus usual care (d = −0.16; 95% CI: −0.58 to 0.25) (p = 0.005).
Conclusion
The intervention warrants examination in a larger trial to establish effectiveness among patients with obesity and osteoarthritis awaiting arthroplasty.
Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000674538
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e70044 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | International Journal of Nursing Practice |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2025 |
Keywords
- arthroplasty
- nurse-led
- obesity
- osteoarthritis
- quality of life
- self-management
