Effects of Concurrent Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis on Bone Quality in Postmenopausal Women

The following article is part of conference coverage from the 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Annual Meeting in Montreal, Canada. Rheumatology Advisor’s staff will be reporting breaking news associated with research conducted by leading experts on bone health. Check back for the latest news from ASBMR 2018 .

The effects of bone and muscle quality in postmenopausal women with both osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis is significantly greater than for those with either condition alone, according to research presented at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2018 Annual Meeting, held September 28 to October 1, 2018, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

This cross-sectional study utilized a cohort from the Appendicular Muscle and Bone Extension Research Study (AMBERS), which obtained baseline and 3-year follow-up data regarding fractures, falls, and frailty. The study cohort (n=170) included participants aged 76 to 85 years who were diagnosed with osteoporosis (18.8%), osteopenia (61.8%), or OA (37.1%). Researchers further categorized participants with OA based on concurrent diseases (including knee OA, 58.7%; osteoporosis, 19%; and osteopenia, 63.5%). The researchers utilized peripheral quantitative computed tomography and MRI scans of the mid-leg to measure muscle density and percentage of inter- or intramuscular fat (IMF) and calculated BMI.

The results showed that participants with knee OA (P =.011) exhibited 2.44 mg/cm³ lower muscle density in comparison with participants who did not have knee OA, but not in comparison with all OA (P =.130). In participants with OA, concurrent osteoporosis was associated with 48.51 mg/cm³ lower distal tibia volumetric bone mineral density (BMD; P <.001; interaction P <.001) and a 4.19% higher IMF (P=.023; interaction P =.025). In participants with osteoporosis, each standard deviation larger of IMF percentage was associated with 4.85-fold odds for knee OA (interaction P =.028). There was a significant association between falls and knee OA (odds ratio [OR], 2.94) or any OA (OR, 2.30), but not osteoporosis alone.

Taken together, these results suggest a combination of OA and osteoporosis affect bone and muscle properties more significantly than individual diseases alone.

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Reference

Wong AKO, Reitsma S, Gillick H, et al. Bone and Muscle Quality in Postmenopausal Women with Both Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis – the AMBERS Study. Presented at: ASBMR 2018 Annual Meeting; September 28-October 1, 2018; Montreal, Canada. Abstract 0511.