Title:Clinical and Radiographic Features of Knee Osteoarthritis of Elderly Patients
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
Author(s): Sahli Hana, Ben Tekaya Aicha*, Daas Selim, Mahmoud Ines and Tekaya Rawdha
Affiliation:
- Department of Rheumatology, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis,Tunisia
Keywords:
Knee osteoarthritis, elderly patients, pain, imaging, radiographic features, functional impairment.
Abstract: Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a common pathology, characterized by a prevalence
that increases with age. Absence of anatomo-clinical correlation is a complex management, particularly
in a geriatric setting where it is not well studied.
Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the epidemio-clinical profile, functional
impairment and radiographic features of knee osteoarthritis in the old patients versus younger patients
(<65 years).
Methods: Cross-sectional study includes patients who were monitored for 6 months at a rheumatology
department for knee osteoarthritis. Epidemio-clinical, anthropometric and radiographic data
were gathered. A comparison was made of these various characteristics between patients of over 65
years of age (group1; n=56) and those under 65 (group2; n=56).
Results: The mean age of the group 1 patients was 71±5 with a clear feminine predominance. Comorbidity
was observed in two thirds of cases. More than half of them were overweight. Gonalgia
had been evolving for approximately 8.4±9.2 years and was bilateral in 82.6% of the cases and of
mechanical type in 94.6% of the cases. The patients experienced an average pain scale of 65.2mm.
Pain had an anterior site in major of cases. An axial deviation of the lower limbs were observed in
60.7% of the cases and a limited mobility of the knees in 48.2% of the cases. The mean value of
Lequesne index was 11.02±4.8. The walking distance was not limited in 37.5% of the cases. Radiographically,
knee osteoarthritis was bilateral in all cases and stage 4 was observed in 50% of the
cases. Comparative study showed that elderly patients had a smaller waist size (p=0.003), a longer
course of gonalgia (p<0.0001), a widespread site of pain (p=0.004), and a more frequent limitation
of walking distance (p<0.0001) as well as more axial deviation (p<0.0001) and joint mobility limitation
(p=0.005). Gonalgia manifesting during rest was more frequent in elderly patients (p=0.001).
In addition, impaired functioning (p=0.001) and the stage of radiographic damage (p=0.02) were
more advanced in elderly patients.
Conclusion: The present study shows that knee osteoarthritis is more severe in the elderly patients
in terms of clinical presentation and functional impairment.