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Serum HA levels may predict progression of knee OA
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Serum concentrations of hyaluronic acid may be predictive of knee osteoarthritis progression, according to the results of a recently published study.
The study included 444 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who were enrolled in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project in Japan and were evaluated at baseline and 5-years follow-up. The mean age at baseline was 55.4 years, and 64.4% of the patients were women.
Fasting venous blood was taken at baseline and weight-bearing anterior-posterior radiographs of both knees were captured with the beam position parallel to the floor and aimed at the joint space using a computer-assisted measuring system. Two of the authors classified the severity of OA using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading system. Joint space width was measured during the 5-year study period.
At baseline, 323 patients had a Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) score of 0 or 1; 91 patients had a K-L grade of 2; 28 patients had a K-L grade of 3 and two patients had a K-L grade of 4. At 5 years, radiographic examination showed 42.1% of patients with grades of 0 to 3 at baseline had progression of OA.
A Spearman’s co-efficient of 0.404 was seen between the serum hyaluronic acid (HA) level and the rate of joint space narrowing. Investigators found higher concentrations of serum HA were associated with progression from grade 2 to 3, but not with the development of OA from grades 0 or 1. Higher serum concentrations of hyaluronic acid was significantly correlated with joint space narrowing in knees with K-L grades of 0 or 1 and with grades of 2 or 3 at baseline. Higher BMI and female sex also correlated with OA progression.
Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed a predictive cut-off value of 35.1 ng/mL of serum HA for development from grades 0 or 1 at baseline with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.19. The progression from grades 2 or 3 was predictive at a cut-off value of 51.9 ng/mL with an OR of 4.89. – by Shirley Pulawski
Disclosure s : The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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