Patient centred outcomes in osteoarthritis.

O steoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder in the world; it occurs in the majority of people over the age of 65 and is an important cause of (work) disability. The public health impact of OA is immense and will further increase with the growing elderly population. Therefore, the search for, and evaluation of, treatments for OA are relevant research topics, not only for the medical community, including individual patients and doctors, but also for pharmaceutical companies and health economists. Assessment of present and future treatment modalities in OA is important and requires a balanced approach.