Article

Thigh muscle weakness is a risk factor for incident radiographic and symptomatic
knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
The role of thigh muscle weakness in radiographic
and/or symptomatic KOA progression remains elusive.
Five hundred twenty-seven
knees of 527 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants with baseline
Kellgren-Lawrence grades 1 to 3 were included in this nested case-control study
evaluating whether baseline muscle strength predicted symptomatic and/or
radiographic KOA progression. Case knees (n = 173) displayed both medial
tibiofemoral joint space loss (>/=0.7 mm) and a persistent increase in Western
Ontario McMasters Osteoarthritis Index pain (>/=9 on a 0- to 100-point scale)
over 24 to 48 months from baseline. Control knees (n = 354) included 174 with
neither radiographic nor symptomatic progression, 91 with radiographic
progression only, and 89 with symptomatic progression only. Isometric knee
extensor and flexor strength were recorded at baseline. Using logistic regression
models, muscle strength was not associated with case status. However, knee
extensor (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.3;
P = 0.035) and
flexor weakness (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval,
1.1, 3.3; P = 0.016)
predicted isolated symptomatic progression in males, but not in females. The
results indicate that thigh muscle strength may affect symptomatic and structural
progression differently in males with KOA and identify an important window for
potentially lowering risk of symptomatic osteoarthritis progression in men.

Langue : ANGLAIS