Static knee alignment measurements among Caucasians and African Americans: the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if knee alignment measures differ between African Americans and Caucasians without radiographic knee osteoarthritis (rOA).


METHODS
A single knee was randomly selected from 175 participants in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project without rOA in either knee. Anatomic axis, condylar, tibial plateau, and condylar plateau angles were measured by 1 radiologist; means were compared and adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI).


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in knee alignment measurements between Caucasians and African Americans among men or women.


CONCLUSIONS
Observed differences in knee rOA occurrence between African Americans and Caucasians are not explained by differences in static knee alignment.
Nelson
Amanda E
AE
Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7280, USA. AENelson@unch.unc.edu
Braga
Larissa
L
Braga-Baiak
Andresa
A
Atashili
Julius
J
Schwartz
Todd A
TA
Renner
Jordan B
JB
Helmick
Charles G
CG
Jordan
Joanne M
JM
D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*