Identify distinct trajectories of lack of knee confidence over an 8-year follow-up period and examine baseline factors associated with poor trajectories in persons with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA).
The Osteoarthritis Initiative is a prospective cohort study of persons with or at high risk for knee OA. Confidence in the knees was assessed within the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score instrument querying how much the individual is troubled by lack of confidence in his/her knee(s), rated as not-at-all (0), mildly (1), moderately (2), severely (3), and extremely (4) troubled, reported annually from baseline to 96 months. Lack of knee confidence was defined as a score ≥ 2. We used latent class models to identify subgroups that share similar underlying knee confidence trajectories over an 8-year period, and multivariable multinomial logistic regression models to examine baseline factors associated with poor trajectories.
Among 4515 participants [mean age 61.2 years (SD 9.2), BMI 28.6 kg/m
Findings suggest the dynamic nature of self-reported knee confidence and addressing modifiable factors (e.g., BMI, knee strength, depressive symptoms, lower limb pain) may improve its long-term course.