ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 1120

Cartilage Volume Loss Occurs in Most Older Adults and the Rate of Loss Increases with Age

Andreea M. Harsanyi1, Dawn Dore2, Changhai Ding3, Jean-Pierre Pelletier4, Johanne Martel-Pelletier4, Flavia Cicutinni5 and Graeme Jones3, 1Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, Hobart, Australia, 2Musculoskeletal Unit, Menzies Research institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 7000, Australia, 3Musculoskeletal Unit, Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart,7000, Australia, 4Osteoarthritis Research Unit, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada, 5Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, Melbourne, Australia

Meeting: 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: ,

Session Information

Title: Osteoarthritis - Clinical Aspects

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose:

Radiographic data suggests knee osteoarthritis is a relatively static disease even over the long term. It is uncertain how much this is influenced by measurement error and whether it accurately reflects what is happening to the cartilage. Initial cross-sectional studies suggest little change in cartilage volume with age but a decrease in thickness. However, longitudinal studies in younger age groups suggest the rate of cartilage volume loss increases with age. There are no longitudinal studies in older age groups.

The aim of this study was to describe cartilage loss over time and the association between age and knee cartilage volume loss in older adults.

Methods:

A total of 407 randomly selected community-dwelling older adults (mean age 63.2 years, range 51-79 years; 50% female) were measured at baseline and approximately 2.7 years later. T1-weighted fat-suppressed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure knee cartilage volume at the tibial and femoral sites. Body mass index (BMI) and radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) were measured by standard protocol. A real change in volume loss was assessed using the least significant criterion which takes into account measurement error and the correlation between measurements at baseline and follow up.

Results:

On average, participants had 1.5% per annum tibiofemoral cartilage volume loss. Of the 407, 74% had a decrease larger than measurement error while, 14% which had a genuine increase in volume and only 12% were unchanged. After adjustment for sex, BMI and ROA, age was significantly associated with annual decrease in medial and total tibial (β -0.08 to -0.13%/yr, all P< 0.008) but not lateral tibial cartilage volume (β -0.03%/yr, P>0.05). In addition, age was associated with a decrease in medial and lateral femoral cartilage volume in males (β -0.05 to -0.06%/yr, all P <0.01) but not females (β -0.001 to 0.005%/yr, P >0.05).

Conclusion:

Knee cartilage volume is rarely static even over a three year time frame. The majority of subjects lose cartilage and this rate of loss increases with age. These findings suggest radiographs are not sensitive measures of changes in cartilage volume and challenge the view that osteoarthritis is largely static over time.

Disclosure:

A. M. Harsanyi,
None;

D. Dore,
None;

C. Ding,
None;

J. P. Pelletier,

ArthroLab Inc.,

4;

J. Martel-Pelletier,

ArthroLab Inc.,

4;

F. Cicutinni,
None;

G. Jones,
None.

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