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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #361440
Title: Risk of knee osteoarthritis with obesity, sarcopenic obesity and sarcopenia

Author
item MIRSA, DEVYANI - Boston University Medical School
item FIELDING, ROGER - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item FELSON, DAVID - Boston University
item NIU, JINGBO - Baylor College
item BROWN, CARRIE - Boston University
item NEVITT, MICHAEL - University Of Alabama
item LEWIS, CORA - University Of Alabama
item TORNER, JAMES - University Of Iowa
item NEOGI, TUHINA - Boston University

Submitted to: Arthritis and Rheumatology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2018
Publication Date: 8/14/2018
Citation: Mirsa, D., Fielding, R.A., Felson, D.T., Niu, J., Brown, C., Nevitt, M., Lewis, C.E., Torner, J., Neogi, T. 2018. Risk of knee osteoarthritis with obesity, sarcopenic obesity and sarcopenia. Arthritis and Rheumatology. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.40692.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/art.40692

Interpretive Summary: Obesity is a well-known risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA) but there is a relative lack of information regarding the association of body composition (fat and muscle mass) on knee OA risk. We examined the longitudinal association of body composition categories based on fat and muscle mass with incident knee OA risk using participants from The Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) Study, a longitudinal study of individuals with or at risk for knee OA. Based on body composition (i.e. fat and muscle mass), subjects were categorized as: 1) obese; 2) sarcopenic obese; 3) sarcopenic; and 4) non-sarcopenic non-obese. We examined the relation of baseline body composition categories to the risk of the development of knee OA. Among 1653 subjects without knee OA at baseline, significant increased risk of the development of knee OA was found among obese men and women and sarcopenic obese women. Sarcopenia alone was not associated with risk of the development of knee OA. In this large longitudinal cohort study, we found body composition based obesity and sarcopenic obesity but not sarcopenia to be associated with knee OA risk.

Technical Abstract: Objective: Obesity, defined by anthropometric measures, is a well-known risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA) but there is a relative paucity of data regarding the association of body composition (fat and muscle mass) on knee OA risk. We examined the longitudinal association of body composition categories based on fat and muscle mass with incident knee OA risk. Methods: We included participants from The Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) Study, a longitudinal cohort of individuals with or at risk for knee OA. Based on body composition (i.e. fat and muscle mass) from whole body Dual Energy Xray (DXA), subjects were categorized as: 1) obese; 2) sarcopenic obese; 3) sarcopenic; and 4) non-sarcopenic non-obese. We examined the relation of baseline body composition categories to the risk of incident radiographic OA at 60 months using binomial regression with robust variance estimation, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Among 1653 subjects without radiographic knee OA at baseline, significant increased risk of incident radiographic knee OA was found among obese (women RR 2.29, 95% CI 1.64- 3.20; men RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.08-2.78) and sarcopenic obese women (RR 1.91, 95% CI 1.17- 3.11), but not men (RR 1.74, 95% CI 0.68- 4.46) subjects. Sarcopenia was not associated with knee OA risk (women RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.62- 1.49; men RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.34-1.30). Conclusions: In this large longitudinal cohort, we found body composition based obesity and sarcopenic obesity but not sarcopenia, to be associated with knee OA risk. Weight loss strategies for knee OA should focus on obesity and sarcopenic obesity.