Comparison of Bioelectrical Impedance Parameters in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Orthopedics
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of knee joint disability.
• Current diagnostic methods for knee osteoarthritis have limitations in detecting early stages.
• Early detection of knee osteoarthritis is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare bioelectrical impedance parameters between knee osteoarthritis patients and controls.
• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of bioelectrical impedance parameters for knee osteoarthritis.
• To explore novel biomarkers for early knee osteoarthritis detection.

Main Methods:

• An age- and sex-matched case-control study was conducted.
• Participants included 58 knee osteoarthritis patients and 58 healthy controls (ages 40-80).
• Multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to assess phase angle, impedance ratio, reactance, and resistance.

Main Results:

• Patients with knee osteoarthritis showed significantly higher mean reactance, impedance ratio, and phase angle compared to controls (p < 0.001).
• Phase angle demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.793) with 81% sensitivity and specificity.
• While resistance was higher in controls, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.134).

Conclusions:

• Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) parameters, particularly phase angle, are significantly different in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
• BIA shows promise as a non-invasive tool for identifying knee osteoarthritis.
• These findings support the potential of BIA for early knee osteoarthritis diagnosis and management.