Background The osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent consultations in primary medical care. The prevalence is between 6, 2 % and 26, 1 %. This is more frequent in women than in men. The results are similar to those of Europe, where people older than 75, the prevalence in women is double than in men.

Objectives To know the prevalence of osteoarthritis in the different locations in our patients, the different treatment that this patient’s use, how much pain they refer and the health education they have.

Methods Design

This is a transversal descriptive study in a basic urban area of health (19.658 persons > 14 years, 16.2% > 75 years.

Population

Randomization 450 osteoarthritis patients from 2514 patients with this diagnostic. Review the clinic histories and after that we interview the patients in the consultation or by telephone (patients or patients’ family)

Variables

Age, sex, localization, overweight, drug treatment (analgesic, AINEs, Sysadoas, capsaicin, IBP/antagonists H2), slim if overweight, Physical exercise (walking > 30 minutes 3 days/week). Physical measures, prosthesis, orthoses, rehabilitation, balneareoteraphy, alternative therapy, health education, how much pain (pain descriptive verbal scale).

Results We interview 406 patients (80,5%) 243 in the consulting room. Middle age 71 yeras (15,2), woman 73,6%. They describe the pain like moderate 30,4% and much several pain 26%. 81.9% the patient’s used≥1 drug, and 2 drugs 42%. The 60.9% have drug when they have pain, the 18.1% have drugs all time (>3 month). Overweight 42,8%. Only 8,7% have normalized the weight. The 65% said that they know their illness and the 73% said that their the doctors has given their recommendation about doing exercise and losing weight

Conclusions The localization more frequent is the knees, the most patients needs drugs. Only 25% are in the ideal weight but a few patients are slimming.

1. Carmona L, Ballina J, Gabriel R, Laffon A, EPISER Study Group. The burden of musculoskeletal diseases in the general population of Spain: results from a national survey. Ann Rheum Dis. 2001; 60:1040-5. Medline

2. Hunsche E, Chancellor JV, Bruce N. The burden of arthritis and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory treatment. A European literature review. Pharmacoeconomics. 2001; 19(Suppl 1):1-15. Medline

Disclosure of Interest None Declared