Among patients with hand osteoarthritis, higher BMI is associated with greater pain severity not just in the hands, but also in the feet, knees, and hips, according to a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology. Ida Haugen, MD, PhD, and colleagues examined the association between BMI and pain in 281 patients with hand osteoarthritis. The Australian/ Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN), the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and the Western Ontario/McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used to measure hand, foot, and knee/hip pain, respectively. Each fiveunit increase in BMI was associated with more severe hand pain (increased AUSCAN on average by 0.64; 95% CI, 0.23-1.08), foot pain (increased NRS on average by 0.65; 95% CI, 0.36-0.92), knee/hip pain (increased WOMAC on average by 1.31; 95% CI, 0.87-1.73), and generalized pain and sensitization. The BMI effects on hand pain and painful total body joint count appeared to be partially mediated by leptin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, respectively.
