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Arthritis Research & Therapy
Published in: Arthritis Research & Therapy 5/2012

Open Access 01-10-2012 | Research article

Biomechanical factors and physical examination findings in osteoarthritis of the knee: associations with tissue abnormalities assessed by conventional radiography and high-resolution 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging

Authors: Jesper Knoop, Joost Dekker, Jan-Paul Klein, Marike van der Leeden, Martin van der Esch, Dick Reiding, Ramon E Voorneman, Martijn Gerritsen, Leo D Roorda, Martijn PM Steultjens, Willem F Lems

Published in: Arthritis Research & Therapy | Issue 5/2012

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Abstract

Introduction

We aimed to explore the associations between knee osteoarthritis (OA)-related tissue abnormalities assessed by conventional radiography (CR) and by high-resolution 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as biomechanical factors and findings from physical examination in patients with knee OA.

Methods

This was an explorative cross-sectional study of 105 patients with knee OA. Index knees were imaged using CR and MRI. Multiple features from CR and MRI (cartilage, osteophytes, bone marrow lesions, effusion and synovitis) were related to biomechanical factors (quadriceps and hamstrings muscle strength, proprioceptive accuracy and varus-valgus laxity) and physical examination findings (bony tenderness, crepitus, bony enlargement and palpable warmth), using multivariable regression analyses.

Results

Quadriceps weakness was associated with cartilage integrity, effusion, synovitis (all detected by MRI) and CR-detected joint space narrowing. Knee joint laxity was associated with MRI-detected cartilage integrity, CR-detected joint space narrowing and osteophyte formation. Multiple tissue abnormalities including cartilage integrity, osteophytes and effusion, but only those detected by MRI, were found to be associated with physical examination findings such as crepitus.

Conclusion

We observed clinically relevant findings, including a significant association between quadriceps weakness and both effusion and synovitis, detected by MRI. Inflammation was detected in over one-third of the participants, emphasizing the inflammatory component of OA and a possible important role for anti-inflammatory therapies in knee OA. In general, OA-related tissue abnormalities of the knee, even those detected by MRI, were found to be discordant with biomechanical and physical examination features.
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Metadata
Title
Biomechanical factors and physical examination findings in osteoarthritis of the knee: associations with tissue abnormalities assessed by conventional radiography and high-resolution 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging
Authors
Jesper Knoop
Joost Dekker
Jan-Paul Klein
Marike van der Leeden
Martin van der Esch
Dick Reiding
Ramon E Voorneman
Martijn Gerritsen
Leo D Roorda
Martijn PM Steultjens
Willem F Lems
Publication date
01-10-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Arthritis Research & Therapy / Issue 5/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1478-6362
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/ar4050

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