Relationship between body adiposity measures and risk of primary knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study

Introduction  

Total joint replacement is considered a surrogate measure for symptomatic end-stage osteoarthritis. It is unknown whether the adipose mass and the distribution of adipose mass are associated with the risk of primary knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis. The aim of the present investigation was to examine this in a cohort study.     

Association between occupation and knee and hip replacement due to osteoarthritis: a case-control study

Introduction  

The objective of this study was to examine the association between occupation and osteoarthritis (OA) leading to total knee (TKR) or hip (THR) joint replacement.     

Mechanisms of quadriceps muscle weakness in knee joint osteoarthritis: the effects of prolonged vibration on torque and muscle activation in osteoarthritic and healthy control subjects

Introduction  

A consequence of knee joint osteoarthritis (OA) is an inability to fully activate the quadriceps muscles, a problem termed arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI). AMI leads to marked quadriceps weakness that impairs physical function and may hasten disease progression. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether γ-loop dysfunction contributes to AMI in people with knee joint OA.     

A functional difficulty and functional pain instrument for hip and knee osteoarthritis

Introduction  

The objectives of this study were to develop a functional outcome instrument for hip and knee osteoarthritis research (OA-FUNCTION-CAT) using item response theory (IRT) and computer adaptive test (CAT) methods and to assess its psychometric performance compared to the current standard in the field.     

Exercise increases interleukin-10 levels both intraarticularly and peri-synovially in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction  

The microdialysis method was applied to the human knee joint with osteoarthritis (OA) in order to reveal changes in biochemical markers of cartilage and inflammation, intraarticularly and in the synovium, in response to a single bout of mechanical joint loading.     

A longitudinal study of the association between dietary factors, serum lipids, and bone marrow lesions of the knee

Introduction  

Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) play an important role in knee osteoarthritis, but their etiology is not well understood. The aim of this longitudinal study was to describe the association between dietary factors, serum lipids, and BMLs.     

Marked disability and high use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs associated with knee osteoarthritis in rural China: a cross-sectional population-based survey

Introduction  

The burden of disability, analgesia, and health services use associated with knee pain and osteoarthritis (OA) in developing countries is relatively unknown, despite a high proportion of these populations required to be engaged in heavy occupational physical activity throughout their life span. The aim of this survey was to estimate the burden of disability, analgesia, and health services use associated with knee pain in rural China.     

Association between meniscal tears and the peak external knee adduction moment and foot rotation during level walking in postmenopausal women without knee osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study

Introduction  

Meniscal injury is a risk factor for the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis, yet little is known about risk factors for meniscal pathology. Joint loading mediated via gait parameters may be associated with meniscal tears, and determining whether such an association exists was the aim of this study.     

Role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha in the integrity of articular cartilage in murine knee joints

Introduction  

Chondrocytes have to withstand considerable hypoxic conditions within the avascular articular cartilage. The present study investigated the effects of inhibiting or stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α by 2-methoxyestradiol or dimethyloxaloylglycine on the progression of osteoarthritis in murine knee joints.     

Fully automated system for the quantification of human osteoarthritic knee joint effusion volume using magnetic resonance imaging

Introduction  

Joint effusion is frequently associated with osteoarthritis (OA) flare-up and is an important marker of therapeutic response. This study aimed at developing and validating a fully automated system based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the quantification of joint effusion volume in knee OA patients.     

Analysis of the precision and sensitivity to change of different approaches to assess cartilage loss by quantitative MRI in a longitudinal multicentre clinical trial in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Introduction  

Cartilage thickness and volume loss measurements using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) are suggested to detect significant cartilage changes over short time intervals. We aimed to compare these two different approaches looking at the global knee and subregions, using data from an osteoarthritis (OA) multicentre randomised clinical trial.     

Does an increase in body mass index over 10 years affect knee structure in a population-based cohort study of adult women?

Introduction  

Although obesity is a modifiable risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA), the effect of weight gain on knee structure in young and healthy adults has not been examined. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI), and change in BMI over the preceding 10-year period, and knee structure (cartilage defects, cartilage volume and bone marrow lesions (BMLs)) in a population-based sample of young to middle-aged females.     

Dietary fatty acid intake affects the risk of developing bone marrow lesions in healthy middle-aged adults without clinical knee osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study

Introduction  

Fatty acids have been implicated in osteoarthritis (OA), yet the mechanism by which fatty acids affect knee structure and consequently the risk of knee OA has not been fully elucidated. Higher intakes of fatty acids have been shown to be associated with the risk of bone marrow lesions (BMLs) in a healthy population. The aim of this study was to examine the association between fatty acid consumption and the incidence of BMLs in healthy middle-aged adults without clinical knee OA.     

Intraarticular injection of hyaluronan prevents cartilage erosion,periarticular fibrosis and mechanical allodynia and normalizes stance time in murine knee osteoarthritis

Introduction  

Intraarticular hyaluronan (HA) is used clinically for symptomatic relief in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA); however, the mechanism of action is unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of a single injection of HA on joint tissue pathology, mechanical allodynia and gait changes (measured by stride times) in a murine model of OA.     

Calcium deposition in osteoarthritic meniscus and meniscal cell culture

Introduction  

Calcium crystals exist in the knee joint fluid of up to 65% of osteoarthritis (OA) patients and the presence of these calcium crystals correlates with the radiographic evidence of hyaline cartilaginous degeneration. This study sought to examine calcium deposition in OA meniscus and to investigate OA meniscal cell-mediated calcium deposition. The hypothesis was that OA meniscal cells may play a role in pathological meniscal calcification.     

Total cholesterol and triglycerides are associated with the development of new bone marrow lesions in asymptomatic middle-aged women - a prospective cohort study

Introduction  

Given the emerging evidence that osteoarthritis (OA) may have a vascular basis, the aim of this study was to determine whether serum lipids were associated with change in knee cartilage, presence of bone marrow lesions (BMLs) at baseline and the development of new BMLs over a 2-year period in a population of pain-free women in mid-life.     

Whole blood lead levels are associated with radiographic and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional analysis in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project

Introduction  

Lead (Pb) is known to affect bone, and recent evidence suggests that it has effects on cartilage as well. As osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent disease affecting bone and cartilage, we undertook the present analysis to determine whether whole blood Pb levels are associated with radiographic and symptomatic OA (rOA and sxOA, respectively) of the knee.     

Efficacy of a progressive walking program and glucosamine sulphate supplementation on osteoarthritic symptoms of the hip and knee: a feasibility trial

Introduction  

Management of osteoarthritis (OA) includes the use of non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies. Although walking is commonly recommended for reducing pain and increasing physical function in people with OA, glucosamine sulphate has also been used to alleviate pain and slow the progression of OA. This study evaluated the effects of a progressive walking program and glucosamine sulphate intake on OA symptoms and physical activity participation in people with mild to moderate hip or knee OA.     

Bone and cartilage characteristics in postmenopausal women with mild knee radiographic osteoarthritis and those without radiographic osteoarthritis

Objectives:

To evaluate the association between radiographically-assessed knee osteoarthritis and femoral neck bone characteristics in women with mild knee radiographic osteoarthritis and those without radiographic osteoarthritis.

Methods:

Ninety postmenopausal women (mean age [SD], 58 [4] years; height, 163 [6] cm; weight, 71 [11] kg) participated in this cross-sectional study. The severity of radiographic knee osteoarthritis was defined using Kellgren-Lawrence grades 0=normal (n=12), 1=doubtful (n=25) or 2=minimal (n=53). Femoral neck bone mineral content (BMC), section modulus (Z), and cross-sectional area (CSA) were measured with DXA. The biochemical composition of ipsilateral knee cartilage was estimated using quantitative MRI measures, T2 mapping and dGEMRIC. The associations between radiographic knee osteoarthritis grades and bone and cartilage characteristics were analyzed using generalized linear models.

Results:

Age-, height-, and weight-adjusted femoral neck BMC (p for linearity=0.019), Z (p for linearity=0.033), and CSA (p for linearity=0.019) increased significantly with higher knee osteoarthritis grades. There was no linear relationship between osteoarthritis grades and knee cartilage indices.

Conclusions:

Increased DXA assessed hip bone strength is related to knee osteoarthritis severity. These results are hypothesis driven that there is an inverse relationship between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. However, MRI assessed measures of cartilage do not discriminate mild radiographic osteoarthritis severity.     

Longitudinal assessment of cyst-like lesions of the knee and their relation to radiographic osteoarthritis and MRI-detected effusion and synovitis in patients with knee pain

Introduction  

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of cystic lesions and cyst-like bursitides in subjects with frequent knee pain and to assess their relation to radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) severity; to describe bilaterality and size fluctuation of the lesions over 6 months; and to assess relations between the prevalence of synovium-lined lesions communicating with the joint capsule and severity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-detected effusion and synovitis.