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Childhood obesity linked with increased risk for patellar cartilage defects in young adults
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LAS VEGAS — Childhood weight, BMI and fat mass were linked with an increased risk for patellar cartilage defects in young adults, according to a presenter here.
Benny Eathakattu Antony, PhD, from the University of Tasmania in Australia, and colleagues identified 314 participants aged between 31 years and 41 years from a long-term follow-up survey that began in 1985. Cartilage defects were defined as a score of at least 2 out of 4 according to a modified Outerbridge scoring system based on MRI.
Researchers found the prevalence of cartilage defects in this cohort was 38.5%, with 24.5% of defects located in the patella. Compared with men, women had a higher percentage of overall cartilage defects (43% vs. 34%) and patellar cartilage defects (30% vs. 20%).
Among subjects who were overweight in both childhood and adulthood compared with subjects who had a normal weight for both, there was an increased prevalence of total cartilage defects (46.7% vs. 36.3%) and patellar cartilage defects (40% vs. 24.2%), which had a significant association (ratio = 1.77). In addition, investigators found childhood weight, BMI and fat mass were linked with a higher risk for patellar cartilage defects in adulthood after they adjusted data for age, height, gender, injury and follow-up length, as well as adult weight (ratio = 1.05), adult BMI (ratio = 1.09), adult fat mass (ratio = 1.11) and adult overweight status (ratio = 1.82). However, researchers found no link between childhood lean mass and cartilage defects.
Reference:
Eathakkattu Antony B, et al. Paper #64. Presented at: Osteoarthritis Research Society International World Congress; April 27-30, 2017; Las Vegas.
Disclosure: The researchers report funding from the government of Australia.