Anserine bursitis among patients with knee osteoarthritis

Objective: Anserine Bursitis (AB) is often associated with Knee Osteoarthritis (OA), and if identified can be easily treated. The objective of this study was to determine the percentage of patients with painful OA knees having accompanying, clinically diagnosed AB. Methodology: This case series was conducted at Division of Rheumatology, FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore from September 18th, 2009 to February 28th, 2010. Sixty consecutive rheumatology out-patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for the diagnosis of OA knees. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory arthritis and trauma were excluded. Patients with OA were examined specifically for any tenderness on the upper medial aspect of the tibia. Radiographic severity of OA knees was scored for each patient by a rheumatologist on a standing X-ray of knees in antero-posterior view. The Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading scheme was used to score the severity of OA. Results: In these 60 patients, AB was clinically present in 23(38)%. Females were 57(95%). The mean age of patients with AB was 58.6 } 8.1 years whereas it was 57.9 } 9.2 years in patients without AB (p-value 0.66). The mean BMI was 30.6 } 4.9 in patients with AB whereas it was 30.0 } 4.9 in patients without AB (p-value 0.64). K-L score . 3 was present in 61% of the patients with AB Vs 78.4% of the patients of OA without AB (p-value 0.06). Conclusion: Anserine Bursitis was present in about one third of patients with painful OA knees and its presence was found to be un-related to age, weight and severity of OA.