University of Tasmania
Browse
107205 Journal Article.pdf (233.94 kB)

Correlates of knee bone marrow lesions in younger adults

Download (233.94 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 17:41 authored by Benny Eathakkattu AntonyBenny Eathakkattu Antony, Alison VennAlison Venn, Cicuttini, F, March, L, Christopher BlizzardChristopher Blizzard, Dwyer, T, Halliday, A, Cross, M, Graeme JonesGraeme Jones, Chang-Hai DingChang-Hai Ding

BACKGROUND: Subchondral bone marrow lesions (BMLs) play a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) and are associated with pain and structural progression in knee OA. However, little is known about clinical significance and determinants of BMLs of the knee joint in younger adults. We aimed to describe the prevalence and environmental (physical activity), structural (cartilage defects, meniscal lesions) and clinical (pain, stiffness, physical dysfunction) correlates of BMLs in younger adults and to determine whether cholesterol levels measured 5 years prior were associated with current BMLs in young adults.

METHODS: Subjects broadly representative of the Australian young adult population (n = 328, aged 31-41 years, female 48.7 %) underwent T1- and proton density-weighted fat-suppressed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in their dominant knee. BMLs, cartilage defects, meniscal lesions and cartilage volume were measured. Knee pain was assessed by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and physical activity was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Cholesterol levels including high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were assessed 5 years prior to MRI.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of BML was 17 % (grade 1: 10.7 %, grade 2: 4.3 %, grade 3: 1.8 %). BML was positively associated with increasing age and previous knee injury but not body mass index. Moderate physical activity (prevalence ratio (PR):0.93, 95 % CI: 0.87, 0.99) and HDL cholesterol (PR:0.36, 95 % CI: 0.15, 0.87) were negatively associated with BML, while vigorous activity (PR:1.02, 95 % CI: 1.01, 1.03) was positively associated with medial tibiofemoral BMLs. BMLs were associated with more severe total WOMAC knee pain (>5 vs ≤5, PR:1.05, 95 % CI: 1.02, 1.09) and WOMAC dysfunction (PR:1.75, 95 % CI: 1.07, 2.89), total knee cartilage defects (PR:2.65, 95 % CI: 1.47, 4.80) and total meniscal lesion score (PR:1.92, 95 % CI: 1.13, 3.28).

CONCLUSIONS: BMLs in young adults are associated with knee symptoms and knee structural lesions. Moderate physical activity and HDL cholesterol are beneficially associated with BMLs; in contrast, vigorous physical activity is weakly but positively associated with medial tibiofemoral BMLs.

History

Publication title

Arthritis Research & Therapy

Volume

18

Issue

31

Pagination

1-9

ISSN

1478-6362

Department/School

Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Publisher

BioMed Central Ltd.

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

© 2016 Antony et al. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Clinical health not elsewhere classified

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC