The Effects of Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss on Knee Pain in Patients With Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is one of the five leading causes of disability among elderly men and women1. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, an estimated 19 million visits are made each year to physician's offices due to knee-related problems, while the total cost of OA was estimated at $60 billion in 2004.2

Obesity is a primary risk factor for the development of OA among several other features such as age, gender, trauma, infection, heredity, and high impact sports. In the United States, obesity has reached epidemic proportions and experiments have shown that individuals clinically defined as obese with a BMI > 30.0 kg/m2 are four times more likely to have knee OA than those with a BMI < 25.0 kg/m2(3).

The most common non-surgical treatment for knee OA has been the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs work by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes involved in the production of pro-inflammatory molecules in the body. Although the use of these drugs has been shown to temporarily relieve pain and swelling associated with OA, there are several negative side-effects related to NSAID use including health concerns and cost.

If chronic NSAID use for knee pain can be reduced, that would be an exceptional public health benefit and would decrease cost and related hospital admissions and deaths.

This study investigates a non-surgical approach to the relief of pain associated with osteoarthritis in an attempt to offer a safer, less expensive alternative to other treatments.