To determine the effectiveness of telephone-based weight loss support in reducing the intensity of knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis, who are overweight or obese, compared to usual care.
We conducted a parallel randomised controlled trial (RCT), embedded within a cohort multiple RCT of patients on a waiting list for outpatient orthopaedic consultation at a tertiary referral hospital in NSW, Australia. Patients with knee osteoarthritis, classified as overweight or obese [body mass index (BMI) between ≥27 kg/m
Between May 19 and June 30 2015, 120 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention (59 analysed, one post-randomisation exclusion) or usual care (60 analysed). We found no statistically significant between group differences in pain intensity [area under the curve (AUC), mean difference 5.4, 95%CI: -13.7 to 24.5, P = 0.58] or weight change at 6 months (self-reported; mean difference -0.4, 95%CI: -2.6 to 1.8, P = 0.74).
ACTRN12615000490572.
Among patients with knee osteoarthritis who are overweight, telephone-based weight loss support, provided using an existing 6-month weight management and healthy lifestyle service did not reduce knee pain intensity or weight, compared with usual care.