THE RELATIONSHIP OF AGE AND GENDER TO PREVALENCE AND PATTERN OF RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE - DATA FROM CAUCASIAN PARTICIPANTS IN THE BALTIMORE LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF AGING

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and pattern of ra diographic changes of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee by age and gende r in Caucasian participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Agi ng. Bilateral standing weight-bearing radiographs of the knee in 547 m ale and 351 female subjects (aged 20 and above) were read for changes of knee OA using Kellgren-Lawrence and individual features scales. Pre valence of definite (Kellgren-Lawrence grade greater than or equal to 2 changes) knee OA increased with advancing age in both sexes. Approxi mately 50 per cent in both sexes showed bilateral involvement. Men age d 59 and below were more likely to have unilateral impairment than men aged 60 and above; no such differences were found in females. These d ata demonstrate that age and gender influence both the prevalence and pattern of radiographic changes of knee OA.