Study: Obese women have increased varus malalignment, risk of knee osteoarthritis

Issue: May 2013

PHILADELPHIA — Obese women had higher varus malalignment, which may increase their risk for knee osteoarthritis, according to a researcher who presented study results at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International World Congress.

“In obese women, there was a significantly higher osteoarthritis incidence according to our primary outcomes and for medial joint space narrowing,” Jos Runhaar, MSc, a PhD student at Erasmus Medical Center at University Medical Rotterdam, The Netherlands, said, here.

The researchers used data from the Prevention of Knee Osteoarthritis in Overweight Females study. They selected 351 women with knee osteoarthritis and measured body weight and height and patients underwent radiographs at baseline and 2½ years. Patients also completed questionnaires about knee complaints and the number of days of knee pain at baseline and 2½ years. The researchers measured Kellgren Lawrence grade, anatomical knee alignment angle and minimal joint space width for all patients on radiograph. They analyzed the association between malalignment and body mass index (BMI). The average age was between 50 years and 60 years and the mean BMI was 27 kg/m2.

Jos Runhaar

Researchers found that 40% of the women had varus alignment and 13% of the women had valgus alignment. The authors found malalignment and baseline BMI affected the final outcome and medial joint space narrowing. Obese women with varus-aligned knees showed a higher incidence of osteoarthritis and medial joint space narrowing.

“We suggest that malalignment should be a target for future study and should be further explored,” Runhaar said.

Reference:

Runhaar J. Paper #50. Presented at: Osteoarthritis Research Society International World Congress; April 18-21, 2013; Philadelphia.

Disclosure: Orthopedics Today was unable to confirm disclosures at press time.