Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are two aging-related degenerative diseases. There are a lot of studies on their correlation, but no consensus has been reached yet.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the cross-sectional association between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis.
METHODS: A total of 2 855 participants were included in this study. Phalangeal bone mineral density and anteroposterior films of the bilateral knees were detected. A multivariable logistic analysis model was applied to test the relationship between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis after adjusting a number of potential confounding factors.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A positive association was observed between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis in the model that was adjusted for sex, age, bone mass index, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, total energy intake, mean calcium intake, as well as vitamin and Ca supplementation. This association existed in the total sample and the female subgroup, but not in the male. These findings suggest a positive relationship between phalangeal bone mineral density and radiographic knee osteoarthritis in the female subgroup, which means that bone mineral density is a protective factor to knee osteoarthritis.

Key words: Osteoarthritis, Knee, Knee Joint, Finger Phalanges