OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life of knee osteoarthritis patients using the SF-36 questionnaireMETHODS: Cross-sec-tional study with 93 knee osteoarthritis patients. The sample was categorized according to Ahlbӓck score. All individuals were interviewed with the SF-36 questionnaireRESULTS: The main finding of the study is related to the association of edu-cation level with the functional capacity, functional limitation and pain. Patients with higher education level had better functional capacity when they were compared to patients with basic level of educationCONCLUSION: Individuals with osteoarthritis have a low perception of their quality of life in functional capacity, functional limitation and pain. There is a strong association between low level of education and low perception of quality of life. Level of Evidence IV, Clinical Case Series.

PurposeTo verify the association between functional independence (FI) and quality of life (QOL) in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional study composed of 93 patients with knee osteoarthritis was performed. Osteoarthritis was stratified according the classification of Ahlbach. For evaluation of the patient's overall FI, the Barthel index was used. The patient's QOL was measured by means of the Medical Outcomes Study 36–Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 60 years (range, 54.0 to 69.5 years) and only 32 patients (34.3%) were found to be independent. Dependent or independent individuals presented difference in all domains of the QOL including physical function (p=0.001), role-physical (p=0.005), bodily pain (p=0.001), general health (p=0.004), vitality (p=0.009), social function (p=0.010), role-emotional (p=0.002) and mental health (p=0.001). Correlation between FI and QOL was different for all domains of the SF-36. Correlation with FI was strongest for physical function (r=0.609, p<0.001), followed by the domains of bodily pain (r=0.410, p<0.001) and mental health (r=0.402, p<0.001).ConclusionsOur data demonstrated a strong association of FI with QOL and positive correlations with all QOL domains, indicating the greater the FI is, the higher the QOL is.