Hospitalization Rates for Osteoarthritis Increase
According to data recently published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the number of hospitalizations for treatment of osteoarthritis has dramatically increased over the past decade. The numbers reported were from data collected with the AHRQ HCUP (Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project) Facts and Figures 2006.
The Agency considered data from 1993 through 2006. The findings were reported in the most recent issue of News and Numbers. In 1993, 322,000 persons were hospitalized for osteoarthritis. This figure more than doubled, reaching 735,000 in 2006.
Those hospitalizations were further examined to determine the nature of the hospital stay. Almost ninety percent of patients hospitalized for knee replacement surgeries, a total of 547,000, had an osteoarthritis diagnosis. Half of the patients hospitalized for hip replacement had the same diagnosis.
The number of patients undergoing knee replacement has been increasing. From 2000 to 2006, the rate of replacements jumped 65 percent. The increase for hip replacements, alternatively, has only jumped by just over one-fifth.
The age range amongst those hospitalized has changed somewhat, more younger people are requiring this more intense degree of care. In 1997, one-quarter of those admitted were between ages 45 and 64 years old. This segment of the population is now a larger component of those hospitalized for osteoarthritis, at 38 percent.
The team was able to pinpoint a time at which the increase commenced, that was 2000. At that time, hospitalization for osteoarthritis rose from 443,000 to 756,000. This is an increase of over 65 percent.
September 8, 2008 Related topics: Trends, Orthopedic