A comprehensive health education plus monitoring support program for older adults with knee osteoarthritis coexisting with overweight and type 2 diabetes.
Suparb Aree-Ue, Inthira Roopsawang, Yuwadee Saraboon and 3 others
PMID 36285081WHAT IT FOUND
Older Thai adults with knee osteoarthritis, diabetes and overweight had lower pain at 6 months when village volunteers supported their walking, strengthening and diet plan after education (1.73 versus 2.93 on 0 to 10).
Baseline pain differed, and other outcomes were mixed.
Key findings
01Pain, knee range of motion and fatigue changed differently over time between groups (P < 0.001).
02Both groups improved pain, physical ability, depressive symptoms, fatigue, sleep and quality of life across time (P ≤ 0.001).
03The groups differed at baseline in blood glucose, pain and physical ability, and the authors note this makes the data uncertain.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The groups were assigned by geography rather than by chance, and they differed at baseline in age, blood glucose, pain and physical ability. The intervention included health education, walking, quadriceps strengthening, diet advice and volunteer monitoring, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. Follow-up was only 6 months, which may not capture lasting weight or blood glucose effects. Participants came from two sub-districts in one Thai province and had to be independent in daily activities, so results may not apply to frailer or non-Thai patients. The authors note that pain fluctuates and diabetes can alter pain perception, so pain and physical ability results need cautious interpretation.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT/2019). The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that village health volunteers alone caused the gains. Both groups received the same 3-day education and were encouraged to walk, strengthen quadriceps and limit calories, and the groups started with different pain, blood glucose and Timed Up and Go scores.