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Updated: May 29, 2026
Tissue Collection and RNA Extraction from the Human Osteoarthritic Knee Joint
Published on: July 22, 2021
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease and future osteoarthritis-related arthroplasty: a population-based cohort
U T Kadam1, A Holmberg, M Blagojevic
1Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK. u.kadam@cphc.keele.ac.uk
Insights
Cardiovascular risk factors significantly increase the likelihood of osteoarthritis (OA) outcomes in both men and women. This large study highlights shared risk factors between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and OA, suggesting a common pathological pathway.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoarthritis (OA) are leading causes of morbidity.
- The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and OA development is not fully understood.
- Investigating shared risk factors may reveal novel therapeutic targets for OA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that cardiovascular risk factors predict future OA-related arthroplasty.
- To examine sex-specific associations between cardiovascular risk and OA outcomes.
- To explore potential shared etiological pathways in CVD and OA.
Main Methods:
- A large cohort study with 8749 women and 14821 men.
- Collected baseline data on cardiovascular risk factors including age, socioeconomic status, family history, obesity, smoking, glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and prior CVD.
- Linked baseline data to clinical registers of OA-related arthroplasty with up to 30 years of follow-up.
Main Results:
- Higher cardiovascular risk groups showed a significantly increased likelihood of OA outcomes in both women (trend p < 0.001) and men (trend p = 0.001).
- In women, the highest risk quartile had a rate ratio (RR) of 3.47 (95% CI 2.6-4.7) for OA.
- In men, the highest risk quartile had an RR of 1.67 (95% CI 1.3-2.2) for OA.
Conclusions:
- This study provides robust evidence for shared risk factors between cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis.
- The findings suggest that cardiovascular risk factors are predictive of future OA-related arthroplasty.
- These results indicate a potential common etiological process underlying both CVD and OA pathogenesis.
Objective:
To investigate the hypothesis that cardiovascular risk factors increase the likelihood of future osteoarthritis (OA)-related arthroplasty in adult men and women.
Methods:
Baseline cohort data on cardiovascular risk factors [age, socio-economic class, family history, obesity, smoking, glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and early cardiovascular disease (CVD) history] were linked to clinical registers of OA-related arthroplasty data. The study included 8749 women and 14 821 men with up to a 30-year follow-up.
Results:
In women, higher cardiovascular risk groups were more likely to have an OA outcome compared to the lowest risk quartile group (trend p < 0.001). The estimates were as follows: second quartile risk: rate ratio (RR) 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-2.9, third quartile risk: 3.32 (2.5-4.5); and highest risk quartile: 3.47 (2.6-4.7). In men, higher cardiovascular risk groups were also more likely to have an OA outcome compared to the lowest risk quartile group (trend p = 0.001). The estimates were as follows: second quartile risk: RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.1-1.9; third quartile risk: 1.38 (1.1-1.8); and highest risk quartile: 1.67 (1.3-2.2).
Conclusions:
Our large cohort study with up to a 30-year follow-up period provides evidence to support the hypothesis of shared risk factors in CVD and OA, and the findings suggest an alternative aetiological process in the pathogenesis of OA.
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