Epidemiology and routine care treatment of patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis and chronic lower back pain: real-world evidence from Germany

Abstract Aim Musculoskeletal disorders are a major public health problem in most developed countries. As main cause of chronic pain, they have resulted an increasing prescription opioids worldwide. With regard to the situation Germany, this study aimed at estimating prevalence musculoskeletal diseases such as low back pain (CLBP) and hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) depicting applied treatment patterns. Subject methods German claims data from InGef Research Database were analyzed over 6-year period (2011–2016). The dataset contains 4 million people, enrolled statutory insurances. Inpatient outpatient diagnoses considered for case identification OA CLBP. World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder was categorize patients according their management interventions. Information on demographics, comorbidities, adjuvant medication collected. Results In 2016, n = 2,693,481 individuals (50.5% female, 49.5% male) assigned population; 62.5% them aged 18–60 years. 146,443 (5.4%) with CLBP 307,256 (11.4%) identified. Of those pre-specified interventions (CLBP: 66.3%; OA: 65.1%), received WHO I class drugs 73.6%; 68.7%) highest level. Conclusion This provides indications that common conditions which often subjected pharmacological management. Compared non-opioid prescriptions class, dispensation II III markedly lower, though present considerable extent.