Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2008 , Vol 54 , Num 2

Radiological Findings and Its Relation with Clinical Parameters in Knee Osteoarthritis

Neslihan Soran 1 , 2 ,Ahmet Demirkol 1 ,Hasan Tabur 3
1 Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Şanlıurfa
2
3 Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Ortopedi Anabilim Dalı, Şanlıurfa

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the joint space narrowing in patients with knee osteoarthritis and its relationship with clinical parameters.
 

Materials and Methods: Eighty knees of 40 women, mean age 62.5±9.4 years diagnosed as knee osteoarthritis according to American College of Rheumatology criteria were included in the study. Pain at rest and walking were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). Disease severity was evaluated by Lequesne index. The level of disability was measured by means of Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) was used to determine pain, stiffness and physical function. Furthermore, each patient underwent anteroposterior and lateral plain X-Rays of both knees.
 

Results: HAQ score was positively correlated with Lequesne index and with pain and physical function subscale of WOMAC (r=0.354, p=0.01; r=431, p=0.02; r=0.414, p=0.003, respectively). No correlation was found between radiological joint spaces, clinical parameters and disability index.
 

Conclusion: Our results indicated that radiological joint space narrowing was not related with pain intensity and disease activity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Therefore in knee osteoarthritis, we think that treatment should be planned according to clinical parameters instead of radiological findings.

Keywords : Knee osteoarthritis, joint space, disability