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Knee extensor strength and body weight in adolescent men and the risk of knee osteoarthritis by middle age

Turkiewicz, Aleksandra LU ; Timpka, Simon LU orcid ; Thorlund, Jonas Bloch ; Ageberg, Eva LU orcid and Englund, Martin LU orcid (2017) In Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 76(10). p.1657-1661
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent to which knee extensor strength and weight in adolescence are associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by middle age.

METHODS: We studied a cohort of 40 121 men who at age 18 years in 1969/1970 underwent mandatory conscription in Sweden. We retrieved data on isometric knee extensor strength, weight, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, parental education and adult occupation from Swedish registries. We identified participants diagnosed with knee OA or knee injury from 1987 to 2010 through the National Patient Register. We estimated the HR of knee OA using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional regression model. To assess the influence of adult knee injury and occupation, we performed a formal... (More)

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent to which knee extensor strength and weight in adolescence are associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by middle age.

METHODS: We studied a cohort of 40 121 men who at age 18 years in 1969/1970 underwent mandatory conscription in Sweden. We retrieved data on isometric knee extensor strength, weight, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, parental education and adult occupation from Swedish registries. We identified participants diagnosed with knee OA or knee injury from 1987 to 2010 through the National Patient Register. We estimated the HR of knee OA using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional regression model. To assess the influence of adult knee injury and occupation, we performed a formal mediation analysis.

RESULTS: The mean (SD) knee extensor strength was 234 (47) Nm, the mean (SD) weight was 66 (9.3) kg. During 24 years (median) of follow-up starting at the age of 35 years, 2049 persons were diagnosed with knee OA. The adjusted HR (95% CI) of incident knee OA was 1.12 (1.06 to 1.18) for each SD of knee extensor strength and 1.18 (1.15 to 1.21) per 5 kg of body weight. Fifteen per cent of the increase in OA risk due to higher knee extensor strength could be attributed to knee injury and adult occupation.

CONCLUSION: Higher knee extensor strength in adolescent men was associated with increased risk of knee OA by middle age, challenging the current tenet of low muscle strength being a risk factor for OA. We confirmed higher weight to be a strong risk factor for knee OA.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
epidemiology, knee osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis
in
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
volume
76
issue
10
pages
5 pages
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85030612762
  • pmid:28487313
  • wos:000410939600013
ISSN
1468-2060
DOI
10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210888
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b2ddfbcf-879c-4cbe-8477-6cd9e84d0a7f
date added to LUP
2017-11-07 09:59:57
date last changed
2024-02-13 10:20:57
@article{b2ddfbcf-879c-4cbe-8477-6cd9e84d0a7f,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent to which knee extensor strength and weight in adolescence are associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by middle age.</p><p>METHODS: We studied a cohort of 40 121 men who at age 18 years in 1969/1970 underwent mandatory conscription in Sweden. We retrieved data on isometric knee extensor strength, weight, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, parental education and adult occupation from Swedish registries. We identified participants diagnosed with knee OA or knee injury from 1987 to 2010 through the National Patient Register. We estimated the HR of knee OA using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional regression model. To assess the influence of adult knee injury and occupation, we performed a formal mediation analysis.</p><p>RESULTS: The mean (SD) knee extensor strength was 234 (47) Nm, the mean (SD) weight was 66 (9.3) kg. During 24 years (median) of follow-up starting at the age of 35 years, 2049 persons were diagnosed with knee OA. The adjusted HR (95% CI) of incident knee OA was 1.12 (1.06 to 1.18) for each SD of knee extensor strength and 1.18 (1.15 to 1.21) per 5 kg of body weight. Fifteen per cent of the increase in OA risk due to higher knee extensor strength could be attributed to knee injury and adult occupation.</p><p>CONCLUSION: Higher knee extensor strength in adolescent men was associated with increased risk of knee OA by middle age, challenging the current tenet of low muscle strength being a risk factor for OA. We confirmed higher weight to be a strong risk factor for knee OA.</p>}},
  author       = {{Turkiewicz, Aleksandra and Timpka, Simon and Thorlund, Jonas Bloch and Ageberg, Eva and Englund, Martin}},
  issn         = {{1468-2060}},
  keywords     = {{epidemiology; knee osteoarthritis; osteoarthritis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1657--1661}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases}},
  title        = {{Knee extensor strength and body weight in adolescent men and the risk of knee osteoarthritis by middle age}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210888}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210888}},
  volume       = {{76}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}