Osteoarthritis in Italy: Updated Clinical Insights from the ESORT Registry - a multicentric, registry-based cross-sectional study - by the Italian Society of Rheumatology (SIR)

Background osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent chronic joint disorder, primarily affecting older adults, with higher frequency in females. It involves progressive cartilage degeneration, leading to pain and disability. The global prevalence of OA continues to rise, especially in aging populations, with the knee being the most affected site. OA is a multifactorial disease associated with obesity, mechanical stress, and systemic inflammation. No disease-modifying OA drugs are currently approved, and treatment is mostly symptomatic. This study aimed to provide updated epidemiological data and insight into clinical characteristics and treatment patterns of OA in Italy, through the implementation of a national rheumatology registry. Methods the ESORT registry, coordinated by the Italian Society of Rheumatology (SIR), included eight rheumatologic centers across Italy. Patients with clinical and radiographic OA at different joint sites were enrolled between 2016 and 2022. Data collected included demographics, BMI, affected joints, baseline VAS pain scores, and current or initiated treatments. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed on the pooled dataset. Results a total of 322 patients were included. The cohort had a female-to-male ratio of 2:1, with a mean age of 73.3 ± 14.7 years and mean BMI of 26.2 ± 4.5 kg/m². The most affected site was the knee (62%), followed by hip (40%), spine (38.2%), and hand (35%). Mean baseline VAS was 49.3 ± 22.2. Regarding treatment, 39.1% used non-selective NSAIDs, 28.8% paracetamol, 45% received hyaluronic acid injections, and 15.2% corticosteroid injections. Conclusions the ESORT registry offers critical insights into OA epidemiology in Italy, underscoring the need for further phenotype-driven research, and integrated care.