The morphology of proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) predicts incident radiographic osteoarthritis: data from Osteoarthritis Initiative

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether the morphology of proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) is associated with increased risk of incident radiographic osteoarthritis (iROA) over 4 years in the OA Initiative (OAI) study. Methods: A nested matched caseecontrol study design was used to select participants from OAI study. Case knees were defined as those with iROA. Control knees were matched one-to-one by sex, age and radiographic status with case knees. T2-weighted MR images were assessed at P0 (the visit when incident ROA was found on radiograph), P1 (1 year prior to P0) and at OAI baseline. The contacting area of PTFJ (S) and its projection areas onto the horizontal (load-bearing area, St), sagittal (lateral stressbolstering area, S4) and coronal plane (posterior stress-bolstering area, Sy) were assessed, respectively. Results: 354 case knees and 354 matched control knees were included, with a mean age of 60 and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 28 kg/m 2 . Baseline PTFJ morphological parameters (S, St and Sy) were significantly associated with iROA over 4 years, and these associations remained unchanged after adjustment for BMI, number of knee bending activities, self-reported knee injury and surgery. S, St and Sy were also significantly associated with iROA at P1 and P0. In subgroup analysed, S, St and Sy were associated with risks of incident joint space narrowing in the medial, but not the lateral tibiofemoral compartment. Conclusion: Greater contacting area, load-bearing area and posterior stress-bolstering area of PTFJ were associated with increased risks of iROA, largely in the medial tibiofemoral compartment.

Association Between the Morphology of Proximal Tibiofibular Joint and the Presence of Knee OA

“…incorporated into this current study as the variable of interest was the presence of knee OA. Similarly, Chang et al (2020) reported that increasing the contact area of the PTFJ may increase the risk of developing knee OA. In their study, the articular contact surface area was calculated according to the projection areas on the horizontal, sagittal and coronal planes, which were measured through MR images of the PTFJ joint.…”

Association between the inclination angle of the proximal tibiofibular joint surface and medial compartment knee osteoarthritis

“…Another case-control study performed by Chang et al (31) found that the association between the PTFJ inclination angle and medial compartment joint space narrowing were of borderline significance. Their findings were based on magnetic resonance images, and angles in the coronal and sagittal planes were chosen as the PTFJ inclination angle.…”

“…In contrast, the PTFJ radiograph used in our study allowed for direct measurement of the PTFJ inclination angle. Furthermore, Chang et al found that a large contact area and large loadbearing area of the PTFJ were risk factors for medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (31,32). Anatomy studies have shown that the lower the PTFJ inclination angle is, the larger the PTFJ contacting area, and the PTFJ load-bearing area was positively associated with the PTFJ contacting area (12,33).…”

Osteoarthritis year in review 2021: imaging

“…J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f 12 Changes in bone are part of the OA disease process. Recent studies have investigated the role of bone shape [19][20][21][22][23][24] , subchondral bone structure and texture [25][26][27][28] , and bone morphology in OA [29][30][31] as well as the interplay between subchondral bone changes and articular cartilage damage 32,33 .…”