Morphological changes in the lower limbs with the progression of knee osteoarthritis over 6 years in a Toei cohort

Abstract

Objectives

We investigated the relationship between morphological features in the lower limbs and the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in 6-years.

Methods

Volunteer subjects from Toei (101 women and 54 men). Knee OA was evaluated on whole-leg radiographs. Subjects were divided into group 1, no knee OA; group 2, stable knee OA that showed no progression; group 3, knee OA that had progressed over 6 years. Demographic hip and knee measurement factors were compared the three groups.

Results

Women, age, body mass index (BMI), abductor angle of the hip, and mechanical-axis deviation were higher in group 2 than in group 1. BMI, the mechanical axis deviation were higher in group 3 than in group 1. Femoral offset was lower in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2. Men, age, condylar–hip angle, plateau–ankle angle were higher in group 2 than in group 1. Age, BMI were higher in group 3 than in groups 1. Condylar–hip and plateau–ankle angles were lower in group 3 than in group 2.

Conclusions

Strategies aimed at strengthening the muscles around the hip, changes in lifestyle should be implemented, especially in patients with changes in geometric indices of the hip and knee.

Keywords:

• Hip
• knee
• osteoarthritis

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Hideyuki Arima, Shin Oe, Hiroki Ushirozako, and Tomohiro Yamada for discussion of our findings.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the appropriate institutional and/or national research ethics committee and performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual subjects included in the study.

Conflict of interest

None.