Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie
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To summarize the strategy of patient recruitment, applied methods and published results within the Ulm Osteoarthritis Study, a multicenter cross-sectional survey of patients with advanced hip and knee osteoarthritis. ⋯ Our innovative study design allows the non-invasive investigation of patient subgroups with established disease and a testing of relevant hypotheses in an appropriate setting. The data add to the evidence regarding the independent role of different systemic risk factors for OA. In an ongoing study the natural course of the disease of the contralateral, unoperated joint is currently being investigated in all recruited patients.