Who Chooses What: Patients’ Decisions on Weight Loss vs. Knee Surgery

The INtensive diet versus Knee Arthroplasty (INKA) trial is exploring if weight loss can be as effective as knee surgery for obese patients with severe knee osteoarthritis. But how do the patients who join this trial compare to those who choose not to participate? This study is trying to figure out if the results from the trial can be trusted for everyone with the same condition. Patients with knee osteoarthritis were asked to join the INKA trial. Some said yes, and some said no. The researchers wanted to understand why. They looked at factors like age, weight, and how much pain the patients were in. They also checked if the patients who joined the trial were different from those who didn’t.The study found that patients who agreed to participate in the trial were generally younger and had less severe symptoms compared to those who declined. This could mean that the results of the trial might not apply to all patients with knee osteoarthritis, especially older patients with more severe symptoms. The researchers also noted that patients who joined the trial were more likely to be female and have a higher body mass index (BMI). This could suggest that women and those with higher BMIs might be more open to trying alternative treatments like weight loss before opting for surgery. In the end, the study highlights the importance of considering who decides to join a trial. It shows that the results might not be the same for everyone with the same condition. This is something to think about when looking at the outcomes of trials like the INKA study.