Role of obesity in the development of osteoarthrosis and concomitant diseases

AIM: To specify the association between obesity and the frequency of concomitant states, fat metabolic disturbances, and progressive osteoarthrosis (OA) at various sites. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 298 patients with manifest knee and hip osteoarthrosis in whom the body mass index (BMI) and waist and hip circumferences were measured calculating the waist-hip index. The association of these indices with the severity of OA and the development of concomitant states was analyzed. RESULTS: Both women and men were found to have overweight and first-second-degree obesity at equal ratios - 61.6 and 59%, respectively. There was an evident rise in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease) and diabetes mellitus with a higher BMI. Stages II-III gonarthrosis was predominant (97.1%) in the obesity group (BMI 30.0-35.0 or greater). With a BMI of > 40, X-ray stages III-IV OA were revealed in 83.3% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the important role of obesity as a risk factor in the development of OA. Fat metabolic disturbances also make a considerable contribution in the development of concomitant states and in the progression of OA of both knee and hand joints.