The Clinical Patterns and Disease Severity of Knee Osteoarthritis in Duhok/Kurdistan Region, Iraq

BACKGROUNDS: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a highly prevalent and progressive joint disease. Given the diverse clinical presentations and multifactorial nature of KOA, alongside observed regional variations, a localised understanding of the disease is vital for effective healthcare planning. AIMS: This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics and disease severity of patients diagnosed with KOA at the specialised tertiary centre in the Kurdistan Region. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional design among patients who attended the 'Specialized Center of Rheumatic Diseases and Medical Rehabilitation' in Duhok City, Iraqi, Kurdistan and are diagnosed with KOA. In this regard, patients with any socio-demographic characteristics were included in the study. The patients with other rheumatic diseases were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The study involved 262 knee patients with KOA, predominantly females aged 40-69 years (81.29%). Most of the patients were retired (39.69%) with a body mass index (BMI) averaging 32.72 kg/m2, indicating overweight or obesity (based on the CDC criteria). Symptoms such as pain (98.85%) and difficulty walking (49.62%) were common, with pain severity averaging 6.77/10. Most commonly used treatments included NSAIDs (63.74%) and physical therapy (8.78%), with many patients affected by mild-to-severe functional limitations. Younger patients had lower disease grades and pain levels, whereas higher grades correlated with increased pain and activity restrictions. CONCLUSIONS: Age and BMI impact KOA severity, including pain and functional limitations. The patients need for better diagnostic and nonpharmacological approaches to improve patient outcomes.