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Journal article
Observations of early structural changes over 6 years on magnetic resonance imaging in knees without radiographic osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis and cartilage, Vol.in Press(4)
12/06/2025
PMID: 41360180
Web of Science ID: WOS:001734215700001
Abstract
To describe longitudinal changes of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features in the medial vs lateral tibiofemoral (TF) and patellofemoral (PF) compartments, in knees with no radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline.
In 340 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative aged 45–55 years (51% women) with 430 knees at risk for OA and 250 not at risk, we assessed MRI scans of both knees using the MRI OA Knee Score system. A change in a feature from baseline to 6 years was defined as ≥1 grade increase in ≥1 subregion. We compared risk for structural changes across knee compartments and by risk status using mixed effects Poisson regression.
MRI changes over 6 years were common, with 89% of persons (76% of knees) showing increased cartilage damage, 50% (37%) in osteophytes, 75% (57%) in Bone Marrow Lesions (BMLs), and 28% (18%) with meniscal damage. Changes were most common in the PF joint, with risk ratios (RR) vs lateral TF joint of 2.4 (95% CI 1.9–3.0) for cartilage damage, 1.3 (1.2–1.5) for osteophytes and 2.8 (2.3–3.4) for BMLs. The risk of meniscal damage in the medial TF was higher compared to the lateral TF (RR 2.8 [1.9–4.1]). At-risk knee status was associated with an increased risk of meniscal damage (RR 1.8 [1.2–2.7]) but weakly with changes in cartilage damage, osteophytes, or BMLs.
Increase in structural damage occurs in majority of knees with Kellgren-Lawrence 0 at baseline, irrespectively of presence of OA risk factors. Most early changes occurred in the PF joint.
Details
- Title
- Observations of early structural changes over 6 years on magnetic resonance imaging in knees without radiographic osteoarthritis
- Publication Details
- Osteoarthritis and cartilage, Vol.in Press(4)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd; London
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
- Swedish Research Council: 2020-01103 Swedish Rheumatism Association sterlund Foundation Greta and Johan Kock Foundations Gustav V 80-Year Birthday Foundation Governmental Funding of Clinical Research within National Health Service (ALF): N01-AR-2-2258, N01-AR-2-2259, N01-AR-2-2260, N01-AR-2-2261, N01-AR-2-2262 National Institutes of Health, a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services Merck Research Laboratories: N01-AR-2-2258, N01-AR-2-2259, N01-AR-2-2260, N01-AR-2-2261, N01-AR-2-2262 Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation GlaxoSmithKline Pfizer, Inc. National Institutes of Health
We declare no conflicts of interest, except for Dr Englund re-porting past consultancy (within 3 years) for Grunethal Sweden AB and Key2Compliance AB and Aleksandra Turkiewicz reporting being associate editor for statistics in Osteoarthritis & Cartilage. We would like to acknowledge grant support from the Swedish Research Council (2020-01103) , The Swedish Rheumatism Association, Osterlund Foundation, Greta and Johan Kock Foundations, Gustav V 80-Year Birthday Foundation, the Foundation for People with Movement Disability in Skane, and Governmental Funding of Clinical Research within National Health Service (ALF) . The OAI is a public-private partnership comprised of five contracts (N01-AR-2-2258; N01-AR-2-2259; N01-AR-2-2260; N01-AR-2-2261; N01-AR-2-2262) funded by the National Institutes of Health, a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services, and conducted by the OAI Study Investigators. Private funding partners include Merck Research Laboratories; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline; and Pfizer, Inc. Private sector funding for the OAI is managed by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. This manuscript was prepared using an OAI public use data set and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the OAI investigators, the NIH, or the private funding partners. We would also like to acknowledge Fan Zhang for performing the meniscal extrusion measures.
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Identifiers
- WOS:001734215700001; 99381563094806600
- Academic Unit
- Usha Kundu, MD College of Health; Movement Sciences and Health
- Language
- English