EULAR recommendations for the management of knee osteoarthritis. Report ofa task force of the Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutic Trials

A task force for the EULAR standing committee for clinical trials determine d the methodological and logistical approach required for the development o f evidence-based guidelines for treatment of knee osteoarthirits (OA). Meth ods. The first stage was the selection of treatment modalities to be consid ered. The second stage comprised a search of the databases of all European- language publications. All of the relevant studies were quality scored. The third stage involved determination of key clinical propositions by expert consensus employing a Delphi approach. The final stage involved ranking of these propositions according to the available evidence. A second set of pro positions relating to a future research agenda was determined by expert con sensus. Results. Seven hundred and forty-four studies presented outcome dat a of the effects of specific treatments on knee OA. Quantitative analysis o f treatment effect was possible in only 61 studies. Recommendations for the management of knee OA based on currently available data and expert opinion are presented. Proposals for a future research agenda are highlighted. Con clusions. These are the first clinical guidelines on knee OA to combine an evidence-based approach and a consensus approach across a wide range of tre atment modalities. It is apparent that only certain clinical propositions a re supported by substantial research-based evidence. There is thus an urgen t need for future well-designed trials to address key clinical questions. J oint Bone Spine 2001 ; 68 : 231-40. (C) 2001 Editions scientifques et medic ales Elsevier SAS.