New developments in osteoarthritis. Sex differences in magnetic resonance imaging-based biomarkers and in those of joint metabolism

Mehrnaz Maleki-Fischbach,Joanne M Jordan

doi:10.1186/ar3091

Mehrnaz Maleki-Fischbach, Joanne M Jordan

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/ar3091

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Abstract

Sex differences in the prevalence, incidence, and severity of osteoarthritis (OA) have long been known. Some differences in the evaluation of this issue across studies may be related to differences in study design, sampling, study size, study populations, targeted joint sites, and definitions of OA. This report highlights recent studies of sex differences in individual joint components imaged by magnetic resonance imaging and in systemic biomarkers of joint metabolism. Particularly important are those studies that examine this issue in young unaffected adults and children before the development of disease. Despite some variation across studies, women appear for the most part to have a thinner and more reduced volume of cartilage in the knee than men, and this may occur from early childhood. It is not clear whether women have a more accelerated rate of cartilage volume loss than men. Few data exist on sex differences in systemic biomarkers of joint metabolism. In these studies, it is critically important to characterize the total body burden of OA and the presence of comorbid conditions likely to influence a given biomarker. Lastly, future research should dovetail studies of sex differences in imaging and biochemical biomarkers with genetics to maximize insight into the mechanisms behind observed sex differences.

Highlights

Sex differences in the prevalence, incidence, and severity of osteoarthritis (OA) have long been known
Differences in study results can be ascribed to differences in (a) study populations and study designs; (b) distribution of, or confounding by, other risk factors such as age, race/ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), and smoking; and (c) joints affected by OA and definitions used to define OA [3] and statistical methodology
One way to examine the basis of sex differences in OA is to examine sex differences in the individual components of the joint through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and joint metabolism biomarkers

Summary

Introduction

Sex differences in the prevalence, incidence, and severity of osteoarthritis (OA) have long been known. In 135 Australian men and 190 women from 26 to 61 years old (mean age of 45 years), Ding and colleagues [22] reported that, over an average of 2.3 years, women had a higher annual rate of cartilage volume loss than men in all knee compartments, only tibial cartilage loss was statistically significantly different by sex.

Results

Conclusion