Hypointense signals in the infrapatellar fat pad assessed by magnetic resonance imaging are associated with knee symptoms and structure in older adults: a cohort study
METHODS: Participants (n = 874) were selected randomly from local community and followed up 2.7 years later (range 2.6-3.3 years). T1- or T2-weighted fat-suppressed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was assessed for IPFP hypointense signal, cartilage volume, cartilage defects, and bone marrow lesions (BMLs). Knee pain was assessed by self-administered Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. Radiographic osteoarthritis was assessed using the OARSI atlas.
RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, hypointense signals in the IPFP were significantly associated with a higher risk of knee cartilage defects at all sites, tibiofemoral BMLs and knee pain in multivariable analyses. Longitudinally, baseline signal abnormalities were significantly and positively associated with increases in knee cartilage defects (OR: 2.27, 95 % CI: 1.61-3.21), BMLs (OR: 1.91, 95 % CI: 1.39-2.62), and knee pain (OR: 1.36, 95 % CI: 1.05-1.76) in multivariable analyses. The associations with cartilage defects remained significant after adjustment for BMLs, but the associations with BMLs and knee pain decreased in magnitude or became non-significant after further adjustment for cartilage defects.
CONCLUSIONS: Hypointense signals in the IPFP were associated primarily with increased knee cartilage defects and also with BMLs and knee symptoms in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, suggesting the abnormality represented by this signal has a potentially important role in osteoarthritis progression.
History
Publication title
Arthritis Research & TherapyVolume
18Article number
234Number
234Pagination
1-9ISSN
1478-6362Department/School
Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchPublisher
BioMed Central Ltd.Place of publication
United KingdomRights statement
Copyright 2016 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Repository Status
- Open