Rheumatology: Current Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-1149 (Printed)
+44-20-4587-4809
ISSN: 2161-1149 (Printed)
+44-20-4587-4809
Antonio Martocchia, Lavinia Toussan, Manuela Stefanelli, Giulia Maria Falaschi, Fabrizia Comite, Elisa Brecciaroli, Fabiola Mastropietri and Paolo Falaschi
Study Background: Increasing evidence in the literature suggests a link between osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis represented by the pro-inflammatory state, independently by concurrent factors such as the joint overload caused by obesity. In this study we examined the role of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors with a significant pro-inflammatory background, on the severity of both carotid atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis.
Methods: We evaluated 68 patients (14 males, 54 females) with (mean±standard error) age and body mass index of 76.99±1.01 years and 27.63±0.62, respectively. The subjects were divided in two groups by the presence of metabolic syndrome (according to Adult Treatment Panel III criteria). Each patient received a score of severity for carotid atherosclerosis (by echo-doppler examination of supra-aortic arteries) and for osteoarthritis (by standard X-ray). The s ites of osteoarthritis was divided in related or not related to weight overload.
Results: The body mass index of patients with (n.42) or without metabolic syndrome (n.26) were 28.94±0.84 and 25.87±0.77, respectively (p<0.025). The severity of carotid atherosclerosis were 1.59±0.17 and 0.82±0.18 in the patients with or without metabolic syndrome (p<0.01). The severity of osteoarthritis were 2.59±0.15 and 2.04±0.27 in the patients with or without metabolic syndrome (p=0.06). Metabolic syndrome was significantly related to severity score of carotid atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis (r=0.932 p<0.01 and r=0.936 p<0.01, respectively). Severity score of carotid atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis were significantly related (r=0.895 p<0.05).
Conclusion: In this preliminary study, we showed a link between severity of osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis in metabolic syndrome, pointing out the possibility of a common background belonging to the degenerative and inflammatory reactions involving both the cardiovascular and articular system.