Table 1 Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria:

1) contacted their GP^a (consultation and/or repeat pain medication prescription) due to knee OA^b (ICPC^c L90 or L15) during the past 5 years;

2) aged 45 years and over;

3) symptomatic knee OA for at least 3 months prior to enrolment;

4) a minimum score of 3 on the NRS^d asking about the severity of knee pain averaged over the past week (0–10; 0 = no knee pain);

5) glucocorticoid injection is indicated in this patient

Exclusion criteria:

1) use of oral glucocorticoids;

2) intra-articular injection in a knee in the previous 6 months;

3) allergy to glucocorticoids;

4) local or systemic infection, recent vaccination with live attenuated vaccine;

5) type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus on insulin therapy, poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus;

6) presence of inflammatory rheumatic diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondylartropathies);

7) coagulopathy, use of anticoagulants, use of dual antiplatelet therapy;

8) a history of gastric/duodenal ulcer or a present gastric/duodenal ulcer;

9) currently receiving care of an orthopaedic surgeon for OA of the hip and/or knee;

10) incapacity to complete questionnaires in Dutch;

11) incapacity to give informed consent.