Menopause is associated with articular cartilage degeneration: a clinical study of knee joint in 860 women. Issue 11 (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lou, Chao; Xiang, Guangheng; Weng, Qiaoyou; Chen, Zhaojie; Chen, Deheng; Wang, Qingqing; Zhang, Di; Zhou, Bin; He, Dengwei; Chen, Hongliang
• Is Part Of: Menopause. Volume 23:Issue 11(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Articular cartilage -- Degeneration -- Knee -- Magnetic resonance imaging -- Menopause; Menopause -- Periodicals; 618.175005
• DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000697
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1072-3714

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between menopause and severity of knee joint cartilage degeneration using a magnetic resonance imaging-based six-level grading system, with six cartilage surfaces, the medial and lateral femoral condyle, the femoral trochlea, the medial and lateral tibia plateau, and the patella. Methods: The study cohort comprised 860 healthy women (age 36-83 y), and 5, 160 cartilage surfaces were analyzed. Age, weight, height, age at natural menopause, and years since menopause (YSM) were obtained. Cartilage degeneration was assessed using a magnetic resonance imaging-based six-level grading system. Results: After removing the age, height, and weight effects, postmenopausal women had more severe cartilage degeneration than pre- and perimenopausal women ( P < 0.001). A positive trend was observed between YSM and severity of cartilage degeneration ( P < 0.05). Postmenopausal women were divided into seven subgroups by every five YSM. When YSM was less than 25 years, the analysis of covariance indicated a significant difference in medial tibia plateau, medial femoral condyle, trochlea, patella, and total surfaces ( P < 0.05 or 0.01) between every two groups. When YSM was more than 25 years, the significant difference, however, disappeared in these four surfaces ( P > 0.05). No significant difference was observed in lateral tibia plateau and lateral femoral condyle in postmenopausal women. Conclusions: Menopause is associated with cartilage degeneration of knee joint. After menopause, cartilage showed progressive severe degeneration that occurred in the first 25 YSM, suggesting estrogen deficiency might be a risk factor of cartilage degeneration of the knee joint. Further studies are needed to investigate whether age or menopause plays a more important role in the progression of cartilage degeneration in the knee joint.