Association of Thigh Intramuscular Fat Infiltration With Incident Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
Elevated thigh IMFI is significantly associated with increased incidence of both knee and hip osteoarthritis.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants with baseline thigh intramuscular fat infiltration (IMFI) assessed by MRI and no history of knee or hip OA24,224 analysed (anterior IMFI, knee OA)
- Exposure
- Quartiles of thigh IMFI — second to fourth vs first quartile
- Outcome
- Incident clinically diagnosed knee or hip OA
Methodological detailsUK Biobank, Cox proportional-hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders
- UK Biobank
- Cox proportional-hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incident knee OA by anterior thigh IMFI quartile · mean follow-up 4.9 years
Adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI)P value
Q2vs Q1
1.78(1.19–2.65)
Q3vs Q1
2.00(1.34–2.99)
Q4vs Q1
2.34(1.53–3.59)
P < 0.01for trendObservational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Incident hip OA by anterior and posterior thigh IMFI · mean follow-up 4.9 years
- Both anterior and posterior thigh IMFI significantly associated with hip OA
- P for both trends <0.01
- 387 participants developed hip OA
Dose-response and effect modification
- Dose-response relationships observed in restricted spline models
- Effect of IMFI independent of BMI and sex (interaction and subgroup analyses)
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Association of Thigh Intramuscular Fat Infiltration With Incident Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Arthritis Rheumatol. Published 15 April 2025. doi:10.
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