The following is a summary of “Erosive hand osteoarthritis and sarcopenia: data from Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort,” published in the January 2024 issue of Rheumatology by Moradi et al.
Even though muscle loss is common in older adults with osteoarthritis (OA), no studies have explored a link between specific OA types like erosive hand OA (EHOA) and overall muscle composition (sarcopenia).
Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating the correlation between EHOA and sarcopenia in older adults.
They utilized the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort, selecting participants with hand OA modified Kellgren and Lawrence (grade ≥2 in ≥1 hand joint) and radiographic central erosions in ≥1 joints (EHOA group), matched with hand OA participants without erosion (non-EHOA group) via propensity score. MRI-based thigh muscle biomarkers were assessed at baseline, year 2, and year 4 using a validated deep-learning algorithm. Participants were further categorized based on radiographic KOA presence to control for coexisting knee OA (KOA). Primary outcomes comprised the differences in the 4-year rate of change between EHOA and non-EHOA groups for intramuscular adipose tissue (intra-MAT) deposition and contractile (non-fat) area of thigh muscles.
The result showed that after adjusting for potential confounders, the study included 844 thighs (211 EHOA: 633 non-EHOA; mean age 67.1 ± 7.5 years, female/male ratio 2.9). Multilevel mixed-effect regression models revealed that EHOA was associated with a different 4-year rate of change in intra-MAT deposition (estimate, 95% CI: 71.5 mm2/4 years, 27.9 to 115.1) and contractile area (estimate, 95% CI: -1.8%/4 years, -2.6 to -1.0) of the Quadriceps. Stratified analyses indicated that EHOA was linked to adverse changes in thigh muscle quality solely in participants without KOA.
Investigators concluded that erosive hand OA is linked to worsening thigh muscle in those without knee OA; more research is needed to decipher the connection and explore modifying this potentially treatable muscle loss.
Source: ard.bmj.com/content/early/2024/01/18/ard-2023-224997