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Hand osteoarthritis is a common condition that affects more than 2 million people in the UK, affecting 1 in 4 people aged 50 years and over.
The Versus Arthritis-funded HOPE-c study is recruiting members aged 18 years old and over that live in the UK and have hand pain due to osteoarthritis. The study aims to answer the following questions:
- Are there different patterns of pain in hand osteoarthritis?
- Can we identify factors that predict the future course of pain in hand osteoarthritis?
- Why do some people experience flares but not others? How does a flare impact a person’s life?
Participants will primarily be assessed remotely with optional face-to-face visits for participants who live near the main sites in Oxford and London (only when it is safe and feasible to do so, depending on local COVID-19 restrictions). A minimum of 5 assessments (electronic surveys) are carried over 26 weeks with up to three additional assessments if there are Flares/Changes in hand symptoms. These assessments include patient-reported questionnaires to assess pain, function, hormonal symptoms and mood with opportunities to submit hand photographs and x-rays. Participants will also be asked to score hand pain daily for six months, either using their mobile phone (using a secure weblink sent by daily SMS) or a paper diary. There is an optional follow-up for consenting patients at Year 2 and Year 5.
The study is recruiting participants until September 2022. More information on taking part can be found on the HOPE-c website.