Metabolic Dysregulation in Postmenopause: Implications for Knee Joint Health.

Background/

Objectives

Osteoarthritis is a slowly evolving joint disorder defined by cartilage degradation, synovial inflammation, subchondral bone hardening, and the growth of osteophytes. Increasing evidence highlights the role of metabolic factors in osteoarthritis onset and progression. This study investigated the link between metabolic syndrome and the level of knee impairment in postmenopausal respondents suffering from knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

A total of 200 participants aged 60-75 years with knee pain were enrolled in this observational cross-sectional study conducted between 2022 and 2023. The case group comprised 120 women with radiographically verified knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grades II-IV), while 80 age-matched women without radiographic changes served as controls. Clinical and anthropometric measures, metabolic indicators, and radiographic findings were collected. Functional status was assessed using the Lower Extremity Functional Scale and the Lequesne Index.

Results

The groups differed significantly with respect to the presence of metabolic syndrome, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting glucose level (p < 0.05). The metabolic syndrome showed modest but significant associations with radiographic knee damage (effect size 4.7%). After adjusting for smoking status and physical activity level, metabolic syndrome remained significantly associated with radiographic damage (effect sizes: 4.8 and 2.2%, respectively). Participants with osteoarthritis but without metabolic syndrome had better functional knee status compared to those with metabolic syndrome (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In postmenopausal women, metabolic syndrome is independently associated with radiographic knee damage and contributes to poorer functional outcomes in participants with knee osteoarthritis, underscoring its potential role as a modifiable risk factor.