The association between leptin, interleukin-6, and hip radiographic osteoarthritis in older people: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: The associations between leptin, interleukin (IL)-6, and hip radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) have not been reported, and their roles in obesity-related hip OA are unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the associations between leptin, IL-6, and hip radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) in older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 193 randomly selected subjects (mean age, 63 years; range, 52 to 78 years; 48% female subjects) were studied. Hip ROA, including joint-space narrowing (JSN) and osteophytes, was determined by anteroposterior radiograph. Serum levels of leptin and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured with radioimmunoassay. Fat mass was measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Results: In multivariable analysis, hip JSN was associated with serum levels of leptin in the whole sample (β = 0.046 per μg/L, P = 0.024 for superior; β = 0.068 per μg/L, P = 0.004 for axial compartment) and IL-6 only in females (β = 0.241 per pg/ml, P = 0.002 for superior; β = 0.239 per pg/ml, P = 0.001 for axial compartment). The positive associations between body-composition measures (BMI, WHR, percentage total fat mass, and percentage trunk fat mass) and hip JSN in women became nonsignificant after adjustment for leptin but not for IL-6. No significant associations were found between leptin, IL-6, and the presence or severity of osteophytes. Conclusions: This study suggests that metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms may play a role in the etiology of hip OA and that the associations between body composition and hip JSN are mediated by leptin, particularly in women.