[Relationship between hypercholesterolemia and osteoarthritis (preliminary results)]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Cardiology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with a significant impact on quality of life.
• Hypercholesterolemia (HCE) is a known cardiovascular risk factor, but its association with OA is less understood.
• Understanding the interplay between metabolic factors like HCE and OA pathogenesis is crucial for comprehensive patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between hypercholesterolemia (HCE) and various clinical, instrumental, and laboratory parameters in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
• To determine the prevalence of HCE in an OA patient cohort.
• To assess how HCE influences pain perception, functional status, and structural changes in OA.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, cross-sectional study involving 183 patients aged 40-75 with confirmed stage I-III knee OA.
• Data collection included anthropometrics, medical history, pain assessments (VAS, WOMAC, KOOS), radiography, ultrasound, and laboratory tests.
• Patients were categorized based on the presence or absence of HCE for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Hypercholesterolemia (HCE) was detected in 59% of the studied osteoarthritis (OA) patients.
• Patients with HCE reported significantly higher pain scores (VAS, WOMAC), worse overall health, lower KOOS scores, and showed reduced cartilage on ultrasound.
• Elevated HCE was associated with higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, STX-II, and COMP. Age stratification revealed persistent differences in pain scores.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms a high prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (HCE) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA).
• Increased total cholesterol levels in OA patients are linked to more intense knee joint pain.
• These findings suggest a potential link between metabolic dysregulation and OA symptomatology, warranting further investigation.