The annual cost of treatment of patients
with OA with non-steroidal antiinflammatory
drugs in the UK is £19.2
million.2 The direct healthcare costs of
patients with OA are more than twice
those of similar patients without the condition
in the USA.3 OA of the knee is the
most common type.1 Treatment is focused
on symptoms using pharmacological and
non-pharmacological therapies such as
anti-inflammatory drugs,4 occupational
therapy,5 exercise programmes6 and
acupuncture.7