Ahmet BAŞARI, Ayşe Seda Eren ZEYDOĞLU
Ağrı - 2026;38(1):29-37
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of central sensitization level on treatment response in individuals older than 65 years who underwent genicular nerve radiofrequency and intra-articular injection treatments for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 37 patients were divided into two groups according to the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) score (CSI<40 and CSI>=40). All patients underwent genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation and intra-articular injection. Pain (NRS), functionality (WOMAC), walking capacity (6MWT), sleep quality (PSQI), and satisfaction levels were evaluated at baseline and at 1 and 3 months following the procedure. Variance and regression analyses were used for statistical evaluation. Results: Significant clinical improvements were observed in all patient groups for the evaluated parameters (p<0.001). However, variance analysis for pain (F=22.566, p<0.001), function (F=15.283, p<0.001), sleep quality (t=-3.87, p<0.001), and walking capacity (F=13.301, p=0.001) showed lower scores in the CSI>=40 group compared with the CSI<40 group. Regression analysis confirmed lower responses in CSI>=40 patients: pain (beta=-2.1; 95% CI: -3.1 to -1.1; p<0.001), function (beta=-4.6; 95% CI: -7.2 to -2.0; p=0.001), walking (beta=-24.6; 95% CI: -40.7 to -2.8; p=0.026), and sleep (beta=-1.9; 95% CI: -2.9 to -0.9; p=0.001). Conclusion: The presence of central sensitization significantly limits the clinical response to genicular radiofrequency ablation and intra-articular injection treatments in older patients with OA. Routine use of screening tools such as CSI in treatment planning may guide more effective and personalized approaches.
