Elderly Play It Safe in Treating Osteoarthritis

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Fraenkel noted other studies in cancer patients have found older patients tend to prefer treatments with fewer side effects, even if they are less effective.

Fraenkel said the reasons for this finding included patients being used to their pain after having had it for a long time, and also fear of additional side effects. Many patients, she added, are willing to receive less pain relief rather than contend with side effects that can diminish their quality of life.

"Many times patients may not agree with what physicians would assume," Fraenkel said. "This reinforces the importance of informing patients of everything that is a rational treatment option and figuring out what is best for them," she added.

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"It is the physician's responsibility to present all available options, not only what physicians consider the best," Fraenkel said. "We need to discuss with patients what they consider to be important in order to decide what might be the best choice for them."

"These results do not surprise me, and are consistent with what we see as specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation," said Dr. D. Casey Kerrigan, a professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Virginia.

"Patients come to us keenly interested in treatments with minimal adverse effect and seek our advice in particular about different types of exercise, and what types of activities they should do or avoid," he added.

More information

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases can tell you about osteoarthritis (www.niams.nih.gov ).

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