[Pain-function indices for the follow-up of osteoarthritis of the hip and the knee].

Algo-functional or severity index for hip diseases (AFIH), proposed in 1980 and validated in 1981, and algo-functional or severity index for knee diseases (AFIK), validated in 1985-1987, were applied to osteo-arthritis of the hip and of the knee. With strictly standardized interviews and well-trained investigators (20 to 30 patients), these indices are reliable: the interobserver reproducibility is good (mean discrepancy: 1/2 point) and the score usually decreases 3 points (mean) under active drug treatment. Each index was individually validated. The severity index for hip is more discriminant than that for knee diseases. The place of each index among the other assessment tests was appraised according to their discriminant capacity. These indices are useful: 1) for drug trials (analgesics and NSAIDs); 2) for the long term follow-up and the so-called chondroprotective agents trials; 3) for a rational decision concerning hip or knee prosthesis (score reaching 8 to 12 points). These AFIH and AFIK are well suited to daily practice and are not time-consuming: 3 to 4 minutes for each.