Validation of the Spanish version of the Oxford knee score and assessment of its utility to characterize quality of life of patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis: a multicentric study

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) represents a heavy burden for patients and the society as a whole. The Oxford Knee Score (OKS) is a well known tool to assess the quality of life in patients with Knee OA. The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the OKS, including its reliability, validity, and responsiveness. METHODS: Prospective observational study that included 397 patients diagnosed with knee OA according to the criterion of the American Rheumatism Association, which were recruited in 3 different Spanish regions. Their self-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQL) was assessed through 3 questionnaires: a generic one (the EQ-5D-5 L) and two specific ones adapted to Spanish (the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Oxford Knee Score (OKS). The follow-up period was 6 months, and the acceptability of the OKS was evaluated, together with its psychometric properties, presence of ceiling and floor effects, validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change. RESULTS: The OKS was fully answered in 99.5% of cases, with no evidence of ceiling or floor effects. Its factor structure can be explained in a single dimension. Its discriminating capacity was very good compared to the groups generated by the WOMAC and the EQ-5D-5 L. The correlation of the OKS with the dimensions of the latter questionnaires was around 0.7. The test-retest reliability was excellent (ICC 0.993; CI 95%: 0.990–0.995) and so was its internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.920). The effect size was 0.7 for moderate improvements in the HQRL, which is similar to that of the dimensions of the WOMAC and greater than for the EQ-5D-5 L. The minimum clinically significant difference that was detected by the questionnaire was 6.1 points, and the minimum detectable change was 4.4 points. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish-adapted version of the OKS is a useful, valid tool for assessing the perceived HRQL in patients suffering from knee OA, with psychometric properties similar to the WOMAC, and that allows for discriminating the patient’s condition at a particular moment as well as for appraising changes over time. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12955-017-0761-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.