§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out to measure health outcomes in people with osteoarthritis; and if he will make a statement. [36374]
§ Mr. BowisThe Department of Health's policy research programme has commissioned two research projects on osteoarthritis
Primary care interventions in osteoarthritisThis is a four-year study designed to determine whether exercise can improve the burden of knee pain in the general population. Some 800 patients over the age of 50 will take part. Results will be available in 1999.Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of analgesics and NSAIDs—non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—in the treatment of knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.This is a three-year randomised controlled trial which is planned to compare the treatment of knee pain by NSAIDs and analgesics among 600 patients presenting to their general practitioners. Results will be available in 1998.In addition, under the national health service research and development programme, Trent region is funding research on "measuring health outcome in people with osteoarthritis".This will look at the evaluation and audit of the costs and health consequences of surgery and other interventions for varying severity of osteoarthritis. The lead researcher for this work in based at the university of Sheffield.