Ten-year trends in values of joint space width and osteophyte area of knee joints: Comparison of the baseline and fourth ROAD study surveys

Banri Kitamura; Toshiko Iidaka; Chiaki Horii; Shigeyuki Muraki; Hiroyuki Oka; Hiroshi Kawaguchi; Kozo Nakamura; Toru Akune; Yuta Otsuka; Takayuki Izumo; Takao Tanaka; Tomohiro Rogi; Hiroshi Shibata; Sakae Tanaka; Noriko Yoshimura

doi:10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100454

Ten-year trends in values of joint space width and osteophyte area of knee joints: Comparison of the baseline and fourth ROAD study surveys

Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2024 Mar 2;6(2):100454. doi: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100454. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Health Care Science, Suntory Wellness Limited, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0284, Japan.
² Department of Preventive Medicine for Locomotive Organ Disorders, 22nd Century Medical & Research Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sensory and Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
⁴ Department of Medical Research and Management for Musculoskeletal Pain, 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
⁵ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Neurological Center, 4-1-17 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan.
⁶ Towa Hospital, 4-7-10 Towa, Adachi-ku, Tokyo 120-0003, Japan.
⁷ National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa-shi, Saitama 359-0042, Japan.

Abstract

Objective: Considering the joint space width and osteophyte area (OPA) of the knee joints of Japanese adults, this study elucidated the ten-year trends in medial minimum joint space width (mJSW) and OPA using data of two independent cohorts from a population-based cohort study.

Methods: The baseline survey of the Research on Osteoarthritis/Osteoporosis Against Disability study was conducted from 2005 to 2007; 2975 participants (1041 men, 1934 women) completed all knee osteoarthritis (OA) examinations. The fourth survey was performed from 2015 to 2016; distinct 2445 participants (764 men, 1681 women) completed identical examinations. The medial mJSW and medial tibial OPA were measured bilaterally using an automated system.

Results: The mean medial mJSW (standard deviation) was 3.22 (0.96) mm and 2.65 (0.95) mm at baseline and 3.81 (1.20) mm and 3.13 (1.15) mm in the fourth survey for men and women, respectively. The mean medial mJSW in the fourth survey was significantly greater in both men and women in all age groups than at baseline (p < 0.01). The mean OPAs in men aged 40-49 and 60-69 years and women aged 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-79 years were significantly smaller in the fourth survey (p < 0.05). The trend in mJSW remained the same even after adjusting for confounding factors in the multivariate analysis, but the trend in OPA was weakened.

Conclusions: A significant improvement in the medial mJSW within 10 years could decrease the incidence and progression of knee OA and prevent the risk of walking disability.

Keywords: Computer-aided diagnosis; Joint space width; Knee; Osteoarthritis; Osteophyte.