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Topic Collection

Advancements in Therapeutic Strategies for Osteoarthritis Management

Osteoarthritis affects over 15% of the global adult population and is expected to become more prevalent, causing pain, stiffness, and disability. With no cure or effective disease-modifying treatments, there is a pressing need for clinical trials exploring new therapeutic strategies. RMD Open is calling for submissions on new, improved, or repurposed treatments, treatment strategies, and subgroup management approaches. We welcome studies from clinical trials, registries, and observational research focusing on efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness, patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers, or imaging. Submissions Open | Submission Deadline: 26th August 2025

Guest Editors

Ida K. Haugen Center for Treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital ORCID iD logoorcid.org/0000-0001-7810-2216
Anna Døssing The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital ORCID iD logoorcid.org/0000-0002-8388-9735
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, affecting more than 15% of the world’s adult population. The prevalence of the disease is expected to continue to rise. This disease can lead to considerable pain, stiffness and disability, affecting the health-related quality of life of the affected persons. Currently there is no cure for the disease, no effective disease-modifying therapy and symptom-relieving options have limited efficacy. Therefore, clinical trials exploring therapeutic strategies for osteoarthritis management are essential. This Topic Collection welcomes studies that investigate and advance the latest developments in osteoarthritis management, including (but not limited to):
  • New, improved or repurposed treatments (surgical, pharmacological, or non-pharmacological)
  • Treatment strategies
  • Subgroup management – if one size fits some, can we at least help those?
The results may be derived from clinical trials, registries, and observational studies. They may focus on the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of interventions on patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers, or imaging.
Please see the instructions for authors for submission requirements for each article type. To submit your article, please follow these instructions and select ‘Advancements in Therapeutic Strategies for Osteoarthritis Management’ as the Topic Collection. All submitted articles will be subject to the journal's normal peer review process. The Editor in Chief is responsible for the content of this Topic Collection. Guest Editors will manage peer review, invite reviewers and make a recommendation, but the final decision on all manuscripts will be made by the Editor-in-Chief. Articles accepted for publication will be published upon acceptance. Visit our author hub for more information regarding the publication process for topic collections. Authors submitting to this Topic Collection are entitled to a 25% discount on the Article Processing Charge. Discount is available upon request to info.rmdopen@bmj.com. For any inquiries regarding this topic collection, please contact topic.collections@bmj.com. Key words: osteoarthritis, management, treatment, therapies, non-pharmacological, pharmacological, surgical