{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T08:48:27Z","timestamp":1789807707220,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"Danish Medical Association","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dan Med J"],"abstract":"<jats:p>INTRODUCTION. Stair-climbing tests (SCT) assess stair negotiation in knee osteoarthritis (OA). The minimal important change (MIC) is a measure of interpretability. The MIC of the nine-step SCT for patients with knee OA has not been established. In a secondary analysis from a randomised controlled trial, we aimed to estimate the MIC of the nine-step SCT in patients with knee OA after 12 weeks of neuromuscular exercise.\n\nMETHODS. In a previously reported randomised controlled trial, knee OA patients not eligible for knee arthroplasty were randomised to a 12-week neuromuscular exercise intervention with\/without additional low-dose strength training. SCT data were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks. Self-reported experience of change in the patient\u2019s knee problem was measured with the seven-point anchor question Global Perceived Effect Score (GPE) at 12 weeks. Among the 90 patients included at baseline, 72 had complete follow-up data. In this secondary analysis, an adjusted MIC estimate was calculated using predictive modelling.\n\nRESULTS. The mean SCT time at baseline was 12.6 (\u00b1 5.5) seconds, and the mean change in SCT at 12 weeks was 2.6 (\u00b1 3.3) seconds. The adjusted MIC value (95% CI) for improvement was 2.2 seconds (95% CI: 1.5; 3.0) for the nine-step SCT.\n\nCONCLUSIONS. The 2.2-second MIC value for the nine-step SCT in knee OA patients may be considered a first indicator of the magnitude of minimal improvement that the average patient would find important.\n\nFUNDING. None.\n\nTRIAL REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03215602.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.61409\/a03250164","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T08:53:09Z","timestamp":1771923189000},"page":"1-9","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Knee osteoarthritis and minimal important change for the nine-step stair climb test"],"prefix":"10.61409","author":[{"given":"Julie B.","family":"Pajaniaye","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eric P.","family":"Cheret","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cecilie H.","family":"Langvad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"P\u00e6tur M.","family":"Holm","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S\u00f8ren T.","family":"Skou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Josefine B.","family":"Larsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Inger","family":"Mechlenburg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"40208","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Dobson F, Hinman RS, Hall M, et al. 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