Purpose: Alterations in bone shape are not only associated with the presence of radiographic OA, they are predictive of tibiofemoral OA onset and have even been proposed as a biomarker for tibiofemoral OA progression. Such biomarkers for early OA detection and progression are essential in the developing successful and early OA interventions. There is evidence suggesting patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a precursor for developing patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) and that it is associated with altered bone shape. As such, alterations in patellofemoral bone shape may also be a promising biomarker in patients with PFP and may offer an opportunity for early therapeutic intervention for OA, potentially even before its onset. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to quantitatively define differences in 3D patellar shape between patients with PFP and healthy controls, using statistical shape modeling (SSM). Additionally, we studies if 3D shape variations in the patella are associated with the presence of structural abnormalities in the patellofemoral joint. Methods: Data from 62 PFP and 69 matched control subjects (age: 23.5±7.1 & 23.1±5.9 years, Table 1) comprised the study’s two cohorts. We used 3D magnetic resonance images of the knee and a semi-automatic segmentation algorithm to create 3D models of the patella. The resulting 3D statistical shape model included 25 shape modes after a parallel analysis was used to discard noise. Logistic regression analyses, with adjustment for age, BMI, and sex were applied to test the association between independent shape modes and group status. For the secondary analysis, logistic regression was used to test the association between MOAKS features (patellar osteophytes, patellar bone marrow lesions, patellar minor cartilage defects, anterior femoral osteophytes, anterior femoral bone marrow lesions, and Hoffa synovitis) and the independent shape modes, adjusted for age, sex, BMI and group status. Results are expressed using odds ratios (OR) with accompanying 95% confidence intervals. Results: Only modes 16 and 22 showed significant associations with the presence of PFP (OR 0.66 with p=0.025 and OR 1.56 with p=0.036, Figure 1). These modes described a variance within the population of 1.42% and 0.87%. Statistical analyses showed multiple associations between patellar shape modes and 5 out of our 6 tested MOAKS features. Shape modes 1, 6, 9, 10, 12, and 23 were associated with the presence of minor cartilage defects on the patella. Furthermore, mode 6 was associated with patellar bone marrow lesions, mode 9 was associated with osteophytes on the anterior femur while mode 3 was associated with bone marrow lesions in the anterior femur. Hoffa synovitis was associated with modes 5, 11, 12, and 24. Conclusions: Our study is the first to demonstrate that not only are 3D shape patterns altered in patients with PFP, similar to patients with OA, but that patellar shape variations in this young population are associated with the presence of structural abnormalities linked to OA. Specifically, mode 16 shows a rounder shape at the lateral side and apex of the patella of patients with PFP, while a pointier shape is seen in healthy controls. Mode 22 shows a more diagonal base of the patella in patients with PFP while in control subjects a more horizontal patellar base was observed. The association between changes in shape and markers of OA (especially minor cartilage defects and Hoffa synovitis) in this young population indicates that 3D SSM can be used to create shape biomarkers that likely indicate the earliest stages of OA.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)
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