Abstract
To explore the influence factors of the red cell distribution width (RDW) level in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients, the difference in RDW before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and further explain the clinical value of the RDW level in KOA patients. Information of 195 patients with KOA and 43 patients with meniscus injuries undergoing surgical treatment in the Surgery Department of Joint and Microsurgery Repair and the Surgery Department of Sports Trauma and Joint Arthroscopy of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 1, 2020, to December 1, 2020, were collected. All included patients’ gender, age, height, medical history, blood lipid, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), CRP, RDW, anteroposterior and lateral X-ray images of the knee joint, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee joint were recorded. The difference in RDW of KOA patients with different severities before and after unilateral TKA surgery was compared, and the difference between KOA patients and patients with only meniscus injury was also compared for further analysis of the influence factors of the RDW level in moderate-severe KOA patients. Among moderate-severe KOA patients with different imaging severities, the RDW level was significantly different (P = 0.022). There was no statistical difference between the groups with and without the TKA history. The RDW level was higher in KOA patients than in patients with only meniscus injuries, and the difference was statistically significant P < 0.05 . To some extent, the RDW level could be taken as a predictor for the severity of moderate-severe KOA patients, and its elevation was primarily related to chondritis and synovitis caused by KOA, so it was suggested that the patients receive adjuvant anti-inflammation therapy after TKA surgery.
Highlights
knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic joint disease that tends to occur in middle-aged and elderly people, especially females [1]
It was discovered in this study that among KOA patients with K-L grade ≥2, red cell distribution width (RDW) level differed among patients with different imaging severities, and the patients with the higher K-L grade showed the higher RDW level
KOA pathogenesis has been linked to IL-6, TNF-α, and other inflammatory factors, which may influence the RDW level by affecting the bone marrow function and iron metabolism [12]
Summary
KOA is a common chronic joint disease that tends to occur in middle-aged and elderly people, especially females [1]. E meniscus is composed of two half-moon-shaped fibrous cartilage structures. Its main pathological characteristics are chronic synovitis of the knee joint, cartilaginous degeneration, and subchondral osteosclerosis [5]. It is wedged between the medial malleolus of the thighbone and the tibial plateau and is conducive to the stability of knee joint and stress absorption of the joint cartilage at the time of motion [6]. It was reported by some statistics that among symptomatic patients with confirmed KOA, the incidence rate of meniscus injury was 63%, while among asymptomatic patients, the incidence rate of meniscus injury was 60% [7]
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