Differences in outcomes of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis among men and women: Real world data study

Background: A few smaller studies have investigated the physical outcomes following post-traumatic osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the outcomes of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis among men and women. Methods: Using a national deidentified database, The TriNetX research database was retrospectively queried for patients diagnosed with post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis between the age of 30–60 years from 2010 to 2020. Men and women cohorts were propensity score matched for age, race and ethnicity, and for the medical conditions of essential hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertensive heart disease. Results: After propensity score matching, 28,725 patients with no differences in demographics and comorbidities were identified and grouped by gender. A total of 28,725 patients were included in the study. Men demonstrated significantly 9 % lower odds for knee arthroplasty, 18 % lower odds of experiencing knee pain, and 17 % lower odds of experiencing knee stiffness when compared to women. Conclusion: Overall, women diagnosed with PTOA of the knee experienced worse physical outcomes compared to men, indicating a possible need for the implemmentation of individualized rehabilitation protocols. Women may benefit from additional individualized interdisciplinary management.