Obesity and osteoarthritis in knee, hip and/or hand: an epidemiological study in the general population with 10 years follow-up

Margreth Grotle, Kare B Hagen, Bard Natvig, Fredrik A Dahl, Tore K Kvien, Margreth Grotle, Kare B Hagen, Bard Natvig, Fredrik A Dahl, Tore K Kvien

Abstract

Background: Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA) in knee(s). However, the relationship between obesity and OA in hand(s) and hip(s) remains controversial and needs further investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of obesity on incident osteoarthritis (OA) in hip, knee, and hand in a general population followed in 10 years.

Methods: A total of 1854 people aged 24-76 years in 1994 participated in a Norwegian study on musculoskeletal pain in both 1994 and 2004. Participants with OA or rheumatoid arthritis in 1994 and those above 74 years in 1994 were excluded, leaving n = 1675 for the analyses. The main outcome measure was OA diagnosis at follow-up based on self-report. Obesity was defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above.

Results: At 10-years follow-up the incidence rates were 5.8% (CI 4.3-7.3) for hip OA, 7.3% (CI 5.7-9.0) for knee OA, and 5.6% (CI 4.2-7.1) for hand OA. When adjusting for age, gender, work status and leisure time activities, a high BMI (> 30) was significantly associated with knee OA (OR 2.81; 95%CI 1.32-5.96), and a dose-response relationship was found for this association. Obesity was also significantly associated with hand OA (OR 2.59; 1.08-6.19), but not with hip OA (OR 1.11; 0.41-2.97). There was no statistically significant interaction effect between BMI and gender, age or any of the other confounding variables.

Conclusion: A high BMI was significantly associated with knee OA and hand OA, but not with hip OA.

References

    1. Felson DT, Zhang Y, Hannan MT, Naimark A, Weissman B, Aliabadi P, Levy D. Risk factors for incident radiographic knee osteoarthritis in the elderly: the Framingham Study. Arthritis Rheum. 1997;40:728–733. doi: 10.1002/art.1780400420.
    1. Spector TD, Hart DJ, Doyle DV. Incidence and progression of osteoarthritis in women with unilateral knee disease in the general population: the effect of obesity. Ann Rheum Dis. 1994;53:565–568. doi: 10.1136/ard.53.9.565.
    1. Hochberg MC, Lethbridge-Cejku M, Scott WW, Jr, Reichle R, Plato CC, Tobin JD. The association of body weight, body fatness and body fat distribution with osteoarthritis of the knee: data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Rheumatol. 1995;22:488–493.
    1. Gelber AC, Hochberg MC, Mead LA, Wang NY, Wigley FM, Klag MJ. Body mass index in young men and the risk of subsequent knee and hip osteoarthritis. Am J Med. 1999;107:542–548. doi: 10.1016/S0002-9343(99)00292-2.
    1. Cooper C, Snow S, McAlindon TE, Kellingray S, Stuart B, Coggon D, Dieppe PA. Risk factors for the incidence and progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2000;43:995–1000. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(200005)43:5<995::AID-ANR6>;2-1.
    1. Reijman M, Pols HA, Bergink AP, Hazes JM, Belo JN, Lievense AM, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. Body mass index associated with onset and progression of osteoarthritis of the knee but not of the hip. The Rotterdam Study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007;66:158–62. doi: 10.1136/ard.2006.053538.
    1. Woolf AD, Breedveld FC, Kvien TK. Controlling the obesity epidemic is important for maintaining musculoskeletal health. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:1401–1402. doi: 10.1136/ard.2006.058172.
    1. Hochberg M. Osteoarthritis. In: Silman A, Hochberg M, editor. Epidemiology of the Rheumatic Diseases. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2001. pp. 205–229.
    1. Cooper C, Inskip H, Croft P, Campbell L, Smith G, McLaren M, Coggon D. Individual risk factors for hip osteoarthritis: obesity, hip injury, and physical activity. Am J Epidemiol. 1998;147:516–522.
    1. Hartz AJ, Fischer ME, Bril G, Kelber S, Rupley D, Jr, Oken B, Rimm AA. The association of obesity with joint pain and osteoarthritis in the HANES data. J Chronic Dis. 1986;39:311–319. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(86)90053-6.
    1. Heliovaara M, Makela M, Impivaara O, Knekt P, Aromaa A, Sievers K. Association of overweight, trauma and workload with coxarthrosis. A health survey of 7,217 persons. Acta Orthop Scand. 1993;64:513–518.
    1. Tepper S, Hochberg MC. Factors associated with hip osteoarthritis: data from the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-I) Am J Epidemiol. 1993;137:1081–1088.
    1. Vingard E, Alfredsson L, Malchau H. Lifestyle factors and hip arthrosis. A case referent study of body mass index, smoking and hormone therapy in 503 Swedish women. Acta Orthop Scand. 1997;68:216–220.
    1. Oliveria SA, Felson DT, Cirillo PA, Reed JI, Walker AM. Body weight, body mass index, and incident symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Epidemiology. 1999;10:161–166. doi: 10.1097/00001648-199903000-00013.
    1. Vingard E. Overweight predisposes to coxarthrosis. Body-mass index studied in 239 males with hip arthroplasty. Acta Orthop Scand. 1991;62:106–109.
    1. Jarvholm B, Lewold S, Malchau H, Vingard E. Age, bodyweight, smoking habits and the risk of severe osteoarthritis in the hip and knee in men. Eur J Epidemiol. 2005;20:537–542. doi: 10.1007/s10654-005-4263-x.
    1. Davis MA, Neuhaus JM, Ettinger WH, Mueller WH. Body fat distribution and osteoarthritis. Am J Epidemiol. 1990;132:701–707.
    1. Hochberg MC, Lethbridge-Cejku M, Plato CC, Wigley FM, Tobin JD. Factors associated with osteoarthritis of the hand in males: data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Am J Epidemiol. 1991;134:1121–1127.
    1. Hochberg MC, Lethbridge-Cejku M, Scott WW, Jr, Plato CC, Tobin JD. Obesity and osteoarthritis of the hands in women. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 1993;1:129–135. doi: 10.1016/S1063-4584(05)80028-7.
    1. Carman WJ, Sowers M, Hawthorne VM, Weissfeld LA. Obesity as a risk factor for osteoarthritis of the hand and wrist: a prospective study. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139:119–129.
    1. Natvig B, Nessiøy I, Brusgaard D, Rutle O. Musculoskeletal symptoms in a local community. Eur J Gen Pract. 1995;1:25–28.
    1. Natvig B, Bruusgaard D, Eriksen W. Localized low back pain and low back pain as part of widespread musculoskeletal pain: two different disorders? A cross-sectional population study. J Rehabil Med. 2001;33:21–25. doi: 10.1080/165019701300006498.
    1. Grotle M, Hagen KB, Natvig B, Dahl FA, Kvien TK. Prevalence and Burden of Osteoarthritis: Results from a Population Survey in Norway. J Rheumatol. 2008;35:677–684.
    1. Kloppenburg M, Stamm T, Watt I, Kainberger F, Cawston TE, Birrell FN, Petersson IF, Saxne T, Kvien TK, Slatkowsky-Christensen B, Dougados M, Gossec L, Breedveld FC, Smolen JS. Research in hand osteoarthritis: time for reappraisal and demand for new strategies. An opinion paper. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007;66:1157–1161. doi: 10.1136/ard.2007.070813.
    1. Lievense AM, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Verhagen AP, van Baar ME, Verhaar JA, Koes BW. Influence of obesity on the development of osteoarthritis of the hip: a systematic review. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2002;41:1155–1162. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/41.10.1155.

Source: PubMed

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

3
Subscribe