Correlation between body mass index and tibiofemoral angle in adult Nigerian patients with primary knee osteoarthritis. A pilot study

Abstract

Background: Chronic knee osteoarthritis, which represents the clinical manifestation of cartilage disintegration under various factors, including abnormal joint loading, is a common pathology globally. Factors such as obesity and malalignment are thought to play a role in its aetiopathogenesis and progression. There have been studies evaluating the relationship between the severity of symptoms in these patients, but the relationship between the tibiofemoral angle (TFA) and body mass index (BMI) in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis has not been extensively studied. Methodology: we prospectively evaluated 51 patients aged 50 years or older with clinical and radiological features of chronic osteoarthritis of the knee and who had not had any form of intervention before assessment. Clinical and radiological tibiofemoral angle (cTFA and rTFA) measurements, and BMI calculations from weight and height measurements, were obtained. We then determined the presence of a correlation between these variables. Results: The average ages for male and female subjects were 66.7 years and 67.5 years, respectively. Both males and females were obese, with similar BMIs of 32.8 and 32.6, respectively. Males had a varus angulation of 5 degrees on cTFA and rTFA measurements, while females had 2.5 degrees and 3.1 degrees of valgus angulation for the cTFA and rTFA, respectively. We found no correlation between cTFA or rTFA and BMI in either sex. Conclusion: We determined that the BMI in obese patients with primary knee osteoarthritis did not influence the magnitude of the clinical or radiological tibiofemoral angles.