Positive association between increased popliteal artery vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis: is OA also part of the metabolic syndrome?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to determine if a positive association exists between arterial vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis (OA). Our hypothesis is that generalized OA is another facet of the metabolic syndrome.


METHODS
The medical ethical review board of our institution approved the study. Written informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to the study. Magnetic resonance (MR) images of the knee were obtained in 42 patients who had been diagnosed with generalized OA at multiple joint sites. Another 27 MR images of the knee were obtained from a matched normal (non-OA) reference population. Vessel wall thickness of the popliteal artery was quantitatively measured by dedicated software. Linear regression models were used to investigate the association between vessel wall thickness and generalized OA. Adjustments were made for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Confidence intervals (CI) were computed at the 95% level and a significance level of alpha = 0.05 was used.


RESULTS
Patients in the generalized OA population had a significant higher average vessel wall thickness than persons from the normal reference population (p < or = alpha), even when correction was made for sex, age, and BMI. The average vessel wall thickness of the popliteal artery was 1.09 mm in patients with generalized OA, and 0.96 mm in the matched normal reference population.


CONCLUSIONS
The association found between increased popliteal artery vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis suggests that generalized OA might be another facet of the metabolic syndrome.
Kornaat
Peter R
PR
Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, NL-2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands. P.R.Kornaat@lumc.nl
Sharma
Ruby
R
van der Geest
Rob J
RJ
Lamb
Hildo J
HJ
Kloppenburg
Margreet
M
Hellio le Graverand
Marie-Pierre
MP
Bloem
Johan L
JL
Watt
Iain
I
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic