14 Sept 2023 • In a recent study conducted by researchers at the Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga in Spain, the use of beta-blockers has been linked to a significant reduction in the likelihood of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis (OA).

The study, which involved 300 patients with new-onset knee pain who underwent TKA and an equally matched cohort of 300 patients who did not undergo TKA, employed binary logistic regression analysis to evaluate TKA outcomes in patients using beta-blockers for various cardiovascular conditions.

• The findings revealed that patients who had previously used any type of beta-blocker had a notably reduced likelihood of requiring TKA, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.51 compared to those who had never used beta-blockers.
• Furthermore, patients using nonselective beta 1-blockers for more than five years demonstrated the lowest likelihood of TKA, with an adjusted OR of 0.36.
• This intriguing association suggests a potential link between the autonomic nervous system and the progression of OA, offering a promising avenue for future therapeutic approaches targeting the adrenergic system in OA treatment.

This study sheds light on an intriguing relationship between the use of beta-blockers and the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Researchers found that patients who had used beta-blockers, especially nonselective beta 1-blockers for more than five years, had a significantly reduced likelihood of undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for OA.

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