How does tibial cartilage volume relate to symptoms in subjects with knee osteoarthritis?

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 264 - 268
• Main Authors: Wluka, A E, Wolfe, R, Stuckey, S, Cicuttini, F M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism 01.03.2004; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthritis; Biological and medical sciences; BMI; body mass index; Bone marrow; cartilage volume; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Extended Report; Female; Humans; Knee; Knee Joint - physiopathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Movement; MRI; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis, Knee - complications; Osteoarthritis, Knee - pathology; Osteoarthritis, Knee - physiopathology; pain; Pain - etiology; SF-36; Short Form-36; Studies; symptoms; Tibia; Time Factors; Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index; WOMAC; Knee; Human; Cartilage; Symptomatology; Tibia; Volume; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Arthropathy; Degenerative disease; Osteoarthritis
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/ard/2003.007666

Background: No consistent relationship between the severity of symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and radiographic change has been demonstrated. Objectives: To determine the relationship between symptoms of knee OA and tibial cartilage volume, whether pain predicts loss of cartilage in knee OA, and whether change in cartilage volume over time relates to change in symptoms over the same period. Method: 132 subjects with symptomatic, early (mild to moderate) knee OA were studied. At baseline and 2 years later, participants had MRI scans of their knee and completed questionnaires quantifying symptoms of knee OA (knee-specific WOMAC: pain, stiffness, function) and general physical and mental health (SF-36). Tibial cartilage volume was determined from the MRI images. Results: Complete data were available for 117 (89%) subjects. A weak association was found between tibial cartilage volume and symptoms at baseline. The severity of the symptoms of knee OA at baseline did not predict subsequent tibial cartilage loss. However, weak associations were seen between worsening of symptoms of OA and increased cartilage loss: pain (rs = 0.28, p = 0.002), stiffness (rs = 0.17, p = 0.07), and deterioration in function (rs = 0.21, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Tibial cartilage volume is weakly associated with symptoms in knee OA. There is a weak association between loss of tibial cartilage and worsening of symptoms. This suggests that although cartilage is not a major determinant of symptoms in knee OA, it does relate to symptoms.