Osteoarthritis year in review 2019: epidemiology and therapy

Over the past year many studies and clinical trials have been published in the osteoarthritis (OA) field. This review is based on systematic literature review covering the period May 1st, 2018 to April 19th, 2019; the final selection of articles was subjective. Specifically those articles considered to be presenting novel insights and of potential importance for clinical practice, are discussed. Further evidence has emerged that OA is a serious disease with increasing impact worldwide. Our understanding of development of pain in OA has increased. Detailed studies investigating widely used pharmacological treatments have shown the benefits to be limited, whereas the risks seem higher than expected, suggesting further studies and reconsideration of currently used guidelines. Promising new pharmacological treatments have been developed and published, however subsequent studies are warranted. While waiting for new treatment modalities to appear joint replacement is an effective alternative; new data have become available on how long they might last.