Making patient questionnaires clearer for people with knee osteoarthritis and knee replacement
Clinical Interpretation of PROMs in Care of Knee Osteoarthritis and TJR
This project will create clear rules to help adults with advanced knee osteoarthritis and those having knee replacement understand their pain and function questionnaire scores.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369654 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will analyze patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from two large U.S. groups — the Osteoarthritis Initiative (~4,700 people) and a 12-site knee replacement cohort (~4,000 people) — to link questionnaire scores with symptoms, treatments, and recovery over time. They will develop interpretation guidelines that account for common issues like older age, obesity, and other physical or emotional health problems. The researchers will test these guidelines against outcomes such as pain change and function after treatment or surgery to confirm they work for individual patients. The end result aims to turn raw PROM numbers into understandable information you and your clinician can use when making care decisions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with advanced knee osteoarthritis, especially those receiving medical care, rehabilitation, or considering or recovering from total knee replacement, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with mild knee symptoms, conditions that mainly affect other joints, or children and teenagers are unlikely to see a direct benefit from these guidelines.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get clearer, personalized meaning from their questionnaire scores to guide treatment choices and track recovery.
How similar studies have performed: PROMs are commonly used and large studies have linked scores to outcomes, but clear, validated rules for interpreting individual patients' PROMs are currently limited.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Franklin, Patricia D — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Franklin, Patricia D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.