Cytokine profiling of molecular endotypes of knee osteoarthritis: insights from the IMI-APPROACH cohort
Authors' conclusion
This study found that the majority of the cytokines exhibited considerable fluctuations over time with no endotype-specific cytokine profiles.
Study context
- Population
- Knee osteoarthritis (OA) participants from IMI-APPROACH; 15 serum cytokines measured at 6-, 12- and 24-month visits
- Participants
- 277 participants
- Exposure
- Cytokine levels across three biomarker-based knee OA endotypes: structural damage, low tissue turnover, connective tissue inflammation
- Inflammatory endotypen = 92
- Outcome
- Serum IL-1ra, mean change vs other endotypes
Methodological detailssecondary analysis of the IMI-APPROACH cohort, longitudinal, linear mixed-effects models adjusted for patient-specific random effects, age, sex and BMI
- Secondary analysis of the IMI-APPROACH cohort
- Longitudinal
- Linear mixed-effects models adjusted for patient-specific random effects, age, sex and BMI
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mean change (95% CI)P value
Inflammatory endotypevs Structural damage endotype12-month visit
36%(19%–54%)
P < 0.001Inflammatory endotypevs Structural damage endotypemonth 24
40%(22%–59%)
P < 0.001Inflammatory endotypevs Low tissue turnover endotype24-month visit
21%(10%–31%)
P = 0.047Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Highest vs lowest IL-1ra quartile within inflammatory endotype (n = 23): BMI and WOMAC function
- Higher BMI in highest IL-1ra quartile
- P = 0.035, Mann-Whitney U test
- Worsened WOMAC function in highest IL-1ra quartile
- P = 0.035, Mann-Whitney U test
Original publication
Cytokine profiling of molecular endotypes of knee osteoarthritis: insights from the IMI-APPROACH cohort. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 27 January 2026. doi:10.
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