Unraveling the genetic association between knee osteoarthritis and hallux deformities

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), hallux valgus (HV) and hallux rigidus (HR) are common musculoskeletal problems of the lower extremities. However, their underlying causal relationships are unclear. This study attempts to clarify the cause-and-effect relationship between KOA and the two common hallux deformities (HV and HR).

The summary-level statistics for KOA, HV, and HR were collected from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The causal analysis of KOA on HV or HR was carried out using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). In order to assess the robustness of the MR results, sensitivity analyses were performed. In addition, multivariable MR (MVMR) was implemented to assess the influence of KOA in causation as well as calibrate the effect of anthropometric characteristics. Supplementary backward MR analysis was conducted to determine the causal effect of hallux diseases on KOA.

The univariable analysis indicated that KOA has a causative influence on HR (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-1.41, P = 2.25E-8) and HV (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.21-1.68, P = 2.76E-5). In the backward MR analyses, hallux deformities did not appear to be the cause of KOA. In the MVMR analysis, after jointly adjusting for the effects of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and BMI, the causal impact of KOA on HV and HR remained robust.

In this study, the genetic causality between KOA and increased risk of hallux deformities (HV and HR) is established, which can provide evidence-based recommendations for reducing the incidence of hallux deformities in KOA patients. Further high-level studies are warranted to validate the associations and explore its broader implications.