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Obesity in Knee Osteoarthritis

Is it a risk factor for effusion?

Publish date:: September 28, 2015

Obesity is a risk factor for incident and progressive knee effusion, according to a study of 163 patients with knee osteoarthritis. Researchers found:

• Incident MRI effusion (MRI_eff) ≥ 1, incident MRI effusion (MRI_eff) ≥ 2, incident PE_eff, and progression of MRI_eff were seen in 19%, 13%, 20%, and 21%, respectively, of patients.

• There was a borderline statistical association of obesity with progression of MRI_eff and with incidence of MRI_eff ≥ 2.

• BMI was not associated with incident MRI_eff.

• Overweight was associated with incident PE_eff, while obesity was not statistically significant.

Citation: Hung A, Sayre EC, Guermazi A, et al. Association of body mass index with incidence and progression of knee effusion on magnetic resonance imaging and on knee examination. [Published online ahead of print September 11, 2015]. Arthritis Care Res. doi: 10.1002/acr.22714.

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