Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open, cilt.8, sa.2, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
Objective: To evaluate the association between measures of central obesity (waist circumference [WC] and waist-to-height ratio [WHtR]) and MRI-based biomarkers of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), including joint structure, cartilage composition, and synovial inflammation, independent of BMI. Design: A total of 3186 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort with radiographic Kellgren-Lawrence grades 0–3 in the right knee were included. Cartilage composition and joint structural abnormalities were assessed using MRI-based T2 cartilage measurements and whole-organ magnetic resonance imaging scores (WORMS). Linear regression was used to investigate the associations between measures of adiposity (WC, WHtR) and MRI-based biomarkers, using standardized predictors and outcomes; the std. β coefficients represent the SD change in outcome per one SD increase in the predictor. Results: Positive associations between WC and the severity of knee structural abnormalities (WORMS) were found, particularly for cartilage severity scores, even after adjusting for BMI (std. β = 0.093, 95% CI [0.036–0.149], p = 0.001). WC and WHtR were both positively associated with T2 values in the lateral femur after adjusting for BMI (WC: std. β = 0.131, 95% CI [0.075–0.186]; WHtR: std. β = 0.193, 95% CI [0.130–0.256]; both p < 0.001). WC and WHtR were associated with MOAKS effusion-synovitis and synovial proliferation before BMI adjustment (all p ≤ 0.001), but not after BMI adjustment (all p ≥ 0.143). Conclusions: Central obesity is associated with worse cartilage composition and structural abnormalities, independent of BMI. These findings have clinical implications, supporting the role of monitoring and addressing central obesity in the management of knee OA.