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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Combined effects of reproductive and hormone factors and obesity on the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis and knee pain among middle-aged or older Chinese women: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Min Zhou, Jianghao Chen, Dongming Wang, Chunmei Zhu, Youjie Wang, Weihong Chen

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one form of degenerative arthritis that results from the breakdown of cartilage and underlying bone. The prevalence of KOA is considerably higher in women than in men; however, the reason for this difference has not been thoroughly elucidated to date. The aim of the present study was to estimate the effects of reproductive and hormone factors and obesity on KOA prevalence among Chinese women.

Methods

The cross-sectional study included 7510 women with a mean age of 62.6 ± 8.6 years. Knee pain was defined as pain or aching stiffness on most days for at least 1 month during the past 12 months or persistent pain or aching stiffness within the past week. Clinical KOA was diagnosed based on both pain complaints and a Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥ 2 X-ray radiograph of at least one knee.

Results

Oral contraceptives use (OR 1.18, 1.05–1.34), ≥3 pregnancies (1.38, 1.20–1.60), and postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HT) (1.59, 1.23–2.06) were positively associated with knee pain, while oral contraceptives use (1.28, 1.04–1.57), and HT (1.79, 1.21–2.65) were positively associated with clinical KOA. Obesity and oral contraceptives use showed additive and multiplicative effects on knee pain. The OR for knee pain among women with a BMI ≥24 kg/m2 and oral contraceptives use was 2.00 (1.68–2.38) compared with women with a BMI < 24 kg/m2 and no oral contraceptives use.

Conclusions

A high number of pregnancies, oral contraceptives use, and HT are independent risk factors for KOA, and the effects of reproductive and hormone factors on KOA may be increased by obesity.
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Metadata
Title
Combined effects of reproductive and hormone factors and obesity on the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis and knee pain among middle-aged or older Chinese women: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Min Zhou
Jianghao Chen
Dongming Wang
Chunmei Zhu
Youjie Wang
Weihong Chen
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6114-1

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