Obesity-related Adipokines and Shoulder Osteoarthritis

Abstract

To the Editor: It is increasingly understood that the association between obesity and osteoarthritis (OA) is partially mediated by a systemic, inflammatory effect of adipokines such as leptin (LEP), adiponectin (ADIPO), and resistin. The association of obesity and OA of non-weight-bearing joints, such as the hand, lends further support to this hypothesis1,2. LEP and resistin have been suggested to have a strong proinflammatory influence3,4, while the role of ADIPO in a knee joint is unclear, as some have shown an antiinflammatory effect5 and others suggest a proinflammatory effect6. Similarly, the ADIPO receptors have been identified in the knee joint only6. No study has examined the epidemiologic relationship between obesity and shoulder OA or identified these obesity hormones in the shoulder joint. The objective of our study was to determine if the adipokines LEP, ADIPO, and resistin are present in the shoulder synovial fluid (SF) of patients with OA and to examine the relationships of these hormones to measures of body habitus. We recruited patients awaiting elective arthroscopic rotator cuff repair or shoulder replacement surgery to participate, between 2009 and 2011. We excluded patients with a history of previous shoulder surgery, previous steroid injection, posttraumatic arthritis, or a history of inflammatory arthropathy. Patients undergoing shoulder replacement surgery for a diagnosis of … Address correspondence to Dr. R. Gandhi, Toronto Western Hospital, East Wing 1-439, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada. E-mail: rajiv.gandhi{at}uhn.on.ca