The association of BMI and knee pain among persons with radiographic knee osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional study
2008

BMI and Knee Pain in Osteoarthritis

Sample size: 576 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Matthew W Rogers, Frances V Wilder

Primary Institution: The Arthritis Research Institute of America

Hypothesis

Is there a relationship between BMI and knee pain among persons with radiographic knee osteoarthritis?

Conclusion

Higher BMI is associated with a greater likelihood of knee pain among individuals with radiographic knee osteoarthritis.

Supporting Evidence

  • Pain subjects had a higher mean BMI (30.4 kg/m2) compared to No Pain subjects (27.5 kg/m2).
  • Adjusted odds ratios showed a positive association between BMI and pain for each elevated BMI category.
  • Subjects in the Obese III category had the highest odds ratio (7.5) for knee pain.

Takeaway

If you weigh more, you might hurt more if you have knee problems. Losing weight could help your knees feel better.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study comparing BMI categories among subjects with knee pain and no knee pain.

Potential Biases

Potential for confounding factors such as knee pain leading to weight gain.

Limitations

The cross-sectional design limits the ability to determine causation.

Participant Demographics

Subjects aged 40 and older, with a mean age of 67.1 years for those with pain.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.0001

Confidence Interval

1.1 – 2.4 for Pre-Obese; 1.4 – 3.8 for Obese I; 2.3 – 8.9 for Obese II; 2.8 – 20.6 for Obese III

Statistical Significance

p<0.0001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2474-9-163

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