CORRELATES OF RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN NIGERIAN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE

BACKGROUND: To determine the relationship between age, gender, and duration of Knee Osteoarthritis and radiographic changes using the Kellgren – Lawrence (K – L) grading. METHODS: The study was retrospective and cross-sectional.We reviewed the case notes of patients with knee osteoarthritis attending a rheumatology clinic in Lagos over a ten year period, looking at their ages, gender, disease duration, K-L grading and deformities from radiological reports. RESULTS: Three hundred and eighteen patients were studied, of which 261(82.08%) were females. Their ages range between 31 and 91 years, with a mean of 60.92±10.96. The least duration of complaints at the time of presentation was 1.5 months, the longest 348 months, with a median of 48 months. Right knee joint alone was affected in 31 (9.84%), left knee in 21(6.67%), and both in 263 (83.49%) patients. The right knee joint alone was affected in 31 (9.75%) patients, left knee in 21(6.60%) patients, and both knees in 266 (83.65%) patients. Six patients (1.89%) had K-L grade 0, 12 had 1 (3.77%), 168 had 2 (52.83 %), 107 had 3 (33.65%), and 25 (7.86%) had K-L grade 4. Deformities noted in 32 patients, among which Genu valgus seen in 18 (56.25%), Genu Varus in 11 (34.38%), and fixed flexion deformities in 1 patient (3.13%); both Valgus and Varus in 1 patient (3.13), and both Varus and Fixed flexion deformities in 1 patient(3.13%). Among patients who were 44yrs and below, 19 (79%) had K-L grade II; while in those 65yrs and above, 57 (44%) had grade III, with a p value of 0.00. But there were no statistically significant differences in K-L grading between males and females, and between K-L grading withdeformities, or with the duration of knee OA at the time of presentation (p 0.05). Conclusion:This study, as in previous ones, showed that the age of the patient with knee OA is directly proportional to the likely severity of the K-L radiographic grading, but not with disease duration.