Association of clinical features of bone and joint lesions between children and parents with Kashin–Beck disease in Northwest China

We investigated the clinical features of bone and joint lesions in children with Kashin–Beck disease (KBD) and the association of these features with their parents to determine specific clinical features for diagnosing KBD. A total of 2,248 children (4 to 18 years old) and their parents were examined by stratified cluster sampling from 33 villages in six endemic counties and from six villages in a non-endemic county. We collected individual information, clinical symptoms, and radiological signs of the right hand. KBD in children and their parents was assessed using the “Diagnosis Criteria of Kashin–Beck disease in China (WS/T207-2010).” Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the correlation of clinical features between parents and offspring with KBD. The rates of clinical features in children were correlated with those in parents (P < 0.01). The parents of child cases had higher rates of clinical features than the parents of child controls. The prevalence of radiographic alterations in the distal end of the phalanges in the parents of child cases was significantly higher than that in the parents of child controls (father, χ ² = 14.83, P = 0.001; mother, χ ² = 10.41, P = 0.001). The parents of child cases were more likely to be KBD cases than the parents of controls (adjusted odds ratio, 4.4–12.1). Recognizing significant correlations in clinical features between children and their parents with KBD is helpful for early clinical diagnosis and evaluation of disease severity. Some clinical features of KBD, such as radiographic alterations in the distal end of the phalanges, might be useful for diagnosing KBD.