Knee Osteoarthritis (Subscribe)  

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is common clinically and often independent of tibiofemoral disease. Intriguingly, the patella demonstrates more severe degeneration earlier in the disease process compared with the juxtaposed femoral groove. Here, we consider three hypotheses influencing this disparity and thus discover crucial insights into the etiology of osteoarthritis.

August 25, 2010 — People with varus (outward-facing), but not valgus (inward), knee alignment have an increased risk for the development of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, according to a study published online May 28 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Existing arthritis worsens when both varus-aligned and valgus-aligned joints...

March 12, 2010 — Not surprisingly, people with pain in both knees are more likely to develop functional problems compared to those with pain in one knee only, according to a report in the February 26th online issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

Epidemiology - 1 in 10 patients with symptomatic knees have isolated PFJ OA
Aetiology
Obesity
Repetitive deep flexion
Malalignment
Lateral patella tightness
Trochlea Dysplasia
Blunt trauma

Patellofemoral arthritis usually affects the same patient population affected by arthritis of other joints. Increasing age, obesity, overuse, chronic joint instability, prior interarticular fractures, and systemic inflammatory conditions are risk factors for the development of arthritis in the hip, knee, patella, and other weight-bearing joints. Patellofemoral arthritis can also occur...

Quadriceps strength does not predict the occurrence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) in either sex but predicts lower incidence of painful or stiff knee OA in women, according to the results of a longitudinal cohort study reported in the September 15 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Laurie Barclay, MD Medscape...

Conclusion Stage of joint destruction, assessed on either radiographs or low-field MRI (0.2T), does not preclude a symptoms relief following a clinically relevant weight loss in elderly obese female patients with knee osteoarthritis.
Radiographs and low field MRI (0.2T) as predictors of efficacy in a weight loss trial in obese women with...

This review appraises the current methods of measurement of osteoarthritis progression and limitations with regards their interpretation and further development.
David J. Hunter; Marie-Pierre H. Le Graverand; Felix Eckstein Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2009;21(2):110-117

Conclusion : Substantial to excellent agreement was found between ultrasound observers for the presence of osteophytes and measurement of effusion size; it was moderate to substantial for femoral cartilage thickness. Moderate to substantial agreement was observed between ultrasound and radiographs for osteophyte presence.
Reliability and validity of ultrasound imaging of features...

Posting on Clinical Trials
Purpose
1) Simple home-based standing balance training and isometric knee extension exercise for 4 weeks would improve functional ability and knee muscle strength of patients with knee osteoarthritis. 2) The outcome of standing balance training is different from isometric knee extension exercise.

Stickler syndrome is believed to be the most common connective tissue disorder in Europe and the USA. Severe osteoarthritis sets in at very early age in 3rd to 4th decade of life necessitating joint arthroplasty. This case report highlights the intraoperative surgical difficulties faced by the surgeon and the planning...

ai Chi exercise may help reduce the pain of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in older patients, according to the results of a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial reported in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research. This physical discipline is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts using slow, rhythmic...

Objective. To examine whether the baseline ratio of a type II collagen breakdown marker to a synthesis marker, or the level of these markers individually, is associated with the likelihood of knee OA progression between baseline and 18 months.
Conclusion. While the degradation markers individually, considered as continuous variables, did not predict OA...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is believed to arise from the interplay of many factors, some of them mechanical. Typically there is deterioration or failure of the joints' cartilaginous bearing surfaces, and to a lesser extent of the collagenous supporting structures. In line with a multifactorial etiology for OA, current approaches to gonarthrosis...

Conclusions Increases in prevalence and severity measures, for both radiographic and symptomatic knee OA (although statistically significant only for rOA), were observed with increasing levels of blood Pb, suggesting that Pb may be a potentially modifiable environmental risk factor for OA.
Whole blood lead levels are associated with radiographic and symptomatic knee...