| INTRODUC TI ONOsteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint degenerative disease and the major cause of disability for the elderly population worldwide. In the USA, over 20 million of people suffer from OA and this figure is estimated to double over the next two decades. 1 The main symptom of OA is chronic musculoskeletal pain, which is associated with physical disability and dysfunction. 2,3 The major treatments for OA include pain alleviation and improvement of functional activity, and for end-stage patients, joint replacement is often needed. 4-6 Many factors may increase the risk of OA, such as metabolic factors, mechanical factors, and inflammatory factors, 7 among which, obesity is considered the most important one. 8 Meanwhile, the prevalence of obesity, which leaves the affected population vulnerable to multiple comorbidities, 9 has been growing alarmingly all over the world. 10,11 Recently, a lot of attention has been paid by the academic circle to the association between obesity and OA in view of its high prevalence and modifiable status. Felson et al reported that obese
AbstractObjectives: To examine the association between body composition and osteoarthritis (OA).Methods: An extensive literature review was performed to identify studies that examined the association between body composition and OA. The mean difference (MD), odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined using RevMan statistical software.
Results:A total of 19 studies were included. The combined MD showed the fat mass of the subjects with knee OA was higher than that of the control group (MD 4.38,). Both fat mass and fat mass percentage were positively associated with knee OA (ORs ranged from 1.49, 95% CI: 1.15-1.92, to 2.37, 95% CI: 1.18-4.74).Similar findings were observed in hip and hand joints as well (ORs ranged from 1.20, 95% CI: 1.08-1.32, to 1.87, 95% CI: 1.11-3.15), and such results were also confirmed by most cohort studies of knee and hip OA (RRs ranged from 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95-1.01, to 3.60, 95% CI: 2.60-5.00). Lean mass was also positively associated with knee OA (OR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.13-1.94). However, lean mass percentage was negatively associated with knee OA (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46-0.92).
Conclusions:Both fat mass and fat mass percentage were likely to be risk factors for knee, hip and hand OA. Similarly, lean mass also seemed to be a risk factor for knee OA, while lean mass percentage seemed to be a protective factor.
K E Y W O R D Sbody composition, fat mass, lean mass, meta-analysis, osteoarthritis