Observations of early structural changes over 6 years on magnetic resonance imaging in knees without radiographic osteoarthritis
Authors' conclusion
Increase in structural damage occurs in majority of knees with Kellgren-Lawrence 0 at baseline, irrespectively of presence of OA risk factors.
Study context
- Population
- Osteoarthritis Initiative participants aged 45–55 years (51% women) with knees without radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline340 individuals
- Exposure
- Knee compartments; at-risk vs not-at-risk knees
- At riskn = 430
- Not at riskn = 250reference
- Outcome
- Change in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features (MOAKS; ≥1 grade increase in ≥1 subregion)
- Follow-up
- 6 years
Methodological detailslongitudinal, mixed effects Poisson regression
- Longitudinal
- Mixed effects Poisson regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MRI structural changes over 6 years
Increased cartilage damage, persons (knees)
89%
76%
Increased osteophytes, persons (knees)
50%
37%
Increased Bone Marrow Lesions (BMLs), persons (knees)
75%
57%
Increased meniscal damage, persons (knees)
28%
18%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Structural change by compartment · 6 yearsPFvs Lateral TFCartilage damage | 2.4 (95% CI 1.9–3.0) | |
| Structural change by compartment · 6 yearsPFvs Lateral TFOsteophytes | 1.3 (95% CI 1.2–1.5) | |
| Structural change by compartment · 6 yearsPFvs Lateral TFBMLs | 2.8 (95% CI 2.3–3.4) | |
| Structural change by compartment · 6 yearsMedial TFvs Lateral TFMeniscal damage | 2.8 (95% CI 1.9–4.1) | |
| Structural change by knee risk status · 6 yearsAt riskvs Not at riskMeniscal damage | 1.8 (CI 1.2–2.7) | |
| 0.20.5125Relative risk (log scale) |
Structural change by knee risk status · 6 years
- At-risk status weakly associated with changes in cartilage damage, osteophytes or BMLs
Original publication
Observations of early structural changes over 6 years on magnetic resonance imaging in knees without radiographic osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. Published 6 December 2025. doi:10.
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