Cardiovascular health and osteoarthritis risk: a prospective cohort study with proteomic insights from UK Biobank
Main finding · Incident OAResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 0.68 95% CI 0.64–0.71Authors' conclusion
Higher cardiovascular health is associated with substantially lower OA risk, modified by biological ageing.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants without osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline13.1 median years follow-up
- Participants
- 102,794 participants
- Exposure
- Highest vs lowest LE8 quartile
- Outcome
- Incident OA, ascertained from medical records
Methodological detailsCox models, proteomic analysis in a subset
- Cox models
- Proteomic analysis in a subset
Main finding
Incident OA
Hazard ratio
0.68
95% CI 0.64–0.71
Highest LE8 quartilevs Lowest LE8 quartile
HR 0.68 (95% CI 0.64–0.71)
As reported in the abstract
- OA cases
- 15 984
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR |
|---|---|
| OA by site (highest vs lowest LE8 quartile)Highest LE8 quartile vs Lowest LE8 quartile · knee OA | 0.56 |
| OA by site (highest vs lowest LE8 quartile)Highest LE8 quartile vs Lowest LE8 quartile · hip OA | 0.72 |
| OA by site (highest vs lowest LE8 quartile)Highest LE8 quartile vs Lowest LE8 quartile · hand OA | 0.57 |
Incident OA per SD increase in LE8
- HR per SD increase in LE8 (14% risk reduction), 95% CI 0.84 to 0.87
- 0.86
Incident OA in individuals with younger phenotypic age (subgroup)
- HR, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.88; protective associations stronger
- 0.86
Proteomics
- Associated proteins identified (eg, fibroblast growth factor 21, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1)
- 9
- Protein risk score showed graded positive associations with OA
Original publication
Cardiovascular health and osteoarthritis risk: a prospective cohort study with proteomic insights from UK Biobank. RMD Open. Published 13 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →