Nielsen FK, et al. - Researchers examined if the clinical, radiographic or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were related to the long-term risk for total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. The findings brought to light a prominent connection between the radiographic findings including joint space narrowing and MRI detected bone marrow lesions, synovitis and effusion with the long-term risk of TKA in the study cohort.

Methods

• Herein, the authors inspected 100 persons with knee osteoarthritis, who participated in a clinical trial between 2000 and 2002.
• Clinical data along with radiography and MRI of the inclusion knee were cumulated from the candidates.
• The Danish National Patient Register provided data on TKA procedures.
• A scrutiny was conducted of the clinical, radiographic and MRI findings for associations with subsequent TKA.

Results

• The findings revealed that 66% received a TKA in the included knee (target knee); 37% also received a TKA in the other knee, during a mean follow-up period of 15 years.
• The degree of joint space narrowing was greatly related to subsequent TKA (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 5.0 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.6-9.9)) along with a radiological sum score comprising joint space narrowing, osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis and cysts (adjusted OR 1.7 (95% CI 1.3-2.1)).
• Similarly, a link was unveiled between MRI detected bone marrow lesions, synovitis and effusion with subsequent TKA with an adjusted OR of 2.3 (95% CI 1.3-4.0), 2.8 (95% CI 1.5-5.2) and 1.9 (95% CI 1.2-3.1), respectively.
• No connection was discovered between increased body mass index (BMI) with subsequent TKA in the target knee.
• However, it correlated with TKA in the other knee (OR 2.3 (95% CI 1.2-4.3).