Evaluation of drug utilization and prescribing practices in osteoarthritis patients: insights from a prospective observational study
TL;DR
NSAIDs remain the primary treatment, but high polypharmacy and poor adherence to rational prescribing indicators emphasize the need for guideline-based prescribing to improve patient outcomes.
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic musculoskeletal disorder associated with pain, disability, and frequent medication use. Objective of the study was to evaluate prescribing patterns, WHO prescribing indicators, comorbidities, and treatment practices in OA patients. Methods: A six-month prospective observational study included 270 OA patients at a tertiary care hospital in Gujarat, India. Demographic, clinical, and prescribing data were analyzed using WHO prescribing indicators and two-way ANOVA. Results: Females constituted 73.7% of patients, and knee OA was most common (90.7%). Combination therapy (66.2%) was prescribed more often than monotherapy. Oral NSAIDs were the most frequently used drugs, followed by tramadol-acetaminophen. Hypertension was the leading comorbidity. BMI and comorbidities were significantly associated with OA severity (p=0.0091 and p=0.0003, respectively). Generic prescribing (3.62%) and essential medicine use (4.69%) were low. Conclusions: NSAIDs remain the primary treatment, but high polypharmacy and poor adherence to rational prescribing indicators emphasize the need for guideline-based prescribing to improve patient outcomes.