Open AccessAssociations between pain, function, and radiographic features in osteoarthritis of the knee
Author(s) -
Szebenyi Béla,
Hollander Anthony P.,
Dieppe Paul,
Quilty Brian,
Duddy John,
Clarke Shane,
Kirwan John R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.21534
Subject(s) - osteoarthritis , medicine , radiography , knee pain , compartment (ship) , knee joint , arthropathy , patellofemoral joint , visual analogue scale , physical therapy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , orthodontics , surgery , patella , pathology , oceanography , alternative medicine , geology
Objective To assess the associations between pain, loss of function, and radiographic changes in knee osteoarthritis (OA), taking into account both the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral compartments. Methods Both knees of 167 community‐based patients with OA in at least 1 of their knees were assessed. Pain was measured by visual analog scale, and function was assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Anteroposterior standing radiographs with the knee in extension and lateral 30° flexion were obtained and assessed for the Kellgren/Lawrence score and for individual features (osteophytes, joint space narrowing, and subchondral bone sclerosis) in each compartment. Results Knees with structural changes in both compartments were more likely to be painful and to be associated with loss of function than were knees in which only 1 compartment was affected. The individual feature most strongly associated with pain was subchondral bone sclerosis. Conclusion Studies exploring the associations between structural and symptomatic knee OA need to include an assessment of the patellofemoral compartment, and individual radiographic features rather than a global severity score should be considered in these studies.