When planning knee OA management, which patient-reported outcome measure is commonly used to assess function and pain?

When planning knee OA management, which patient-reported outcome measure is commonly used to assess function and pain?

• A. KOOS
• B. DASH
• C. SF-36
• D. AIMS

Answer: (A)

Measuring how knee OA affects function and pain from the patient’s perspective is essential to guide planning and track what works. KOOS—the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score—fits this need best because it is knee-specific and directly assesses pain, symptoms, daily living function, sports and recreational function, and knee-related quality of life. This breadth makes KOOS sensitive to clinically meaningful changes over time and useful for both baseline assessment and follow-up after interventions like therapy, injections, or surgery. Other measures are broader or intended for different regions. The DASH focuses on the upper extremities, so it won’t capture knee-specific function. The SF-36 is a generic health survey that can miss knee-specific issues and may lack responsiveness to changes in knee pain and function. AIMS is a general arthritis impact tool and isn’t as commonly used or as targeted for knee OA as KOOS.

Measuring how knee OA affects function and pain from the patient’s perspective is essential to guide planning and track what works. KOOS—the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score—fits this need best because it is knee-specific and directly assesses pain, symptoms, daily living function, sports and recreational function, and knee-related quality of life. This breadth makes KOOS sensitive to clinically meaningful changes over time and useful for both baseline assessment and follow-up after interventions like therapy, injections, or surgery.

Other measures are broader or intended for different regions. The DASH focuses on the upper extremities, so it won’t capture knee-specific function. The SF-36 is a generic health survey that can miss knee-specific issues and may lack responsiveness to changes in knee pain and function. AIMS is a general arthritis impact tool and isn’t as commonly used or as targeted for knee OA as KOOS.