ASSOCIATION OF BONE-MINERAL DENSITY AND SEX-HORMONE LEVELS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE HAND AND KNEE IN PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Mechanical stress on the cartilage and metabolic and/or hormonal influ ences have been suggested as possible etiologic factors for osteoarthr itis. This paper reports findings from data collected in 1992 that wer e used to examine associations between osteoarthritis and risk factors in 573 Caucasian women aged 24-45 years from the Michigan Bone Health Study. Radiographs of the dominant hand and both knees were evaluated using the Kellgren and Lawrence grading scale. The prevalence of oste oarthritis (grade 2 or higher) in this population was 2.8% for hands a nd 3.6% for knees, Using polytomous multiple logistic regression, the authors found older age, increasing bone mineral density, and decreasi ng testosterone levels to be significantly associated with increasing hand scores. Older age and hand injury were significantly associated w ith grades of 2 or higher, Increasing osteoarthritis knee scores were associated with older age, increasing bone density, increasing body ma ss index, and current use of hormone replacement therapy. A knee grade of 2 or higher was associated with increasing estradiol levels, knee injury, and higher blood pressure. This study indicates that age, bone density, and injury are risk factors common to the development of han d and knee osteoarthritis in this non-elderly female population.