Cigarette smoking and the risk for cartilage loss and knee pain in men with knee osteoarthritis

Amin S, Niu J, Guermazi A, et al. · Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Current smokers had roughly 2.3–2.5-fold higher odds of MRI cartilage loss at medial tibiofemoral (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0–5.4) and patellofemoral (OR 2.5, 1.1–5.7) compartments, and none at the lateral compartment (OR 1.2, 0.3–4.2); they reported more pain at baseline (60.5 against 45.0 on a 100 mm scale) and follow-up (59.4 against 44.3), though the change in pain over follow-up did not differ. Smokers were younger (62 against 69) and leaner (BMI 28.9 against 31.3).

Population

159 men with symptomatic knee OA followed 30 months with serial MRI read blind to smoking (19 current smokers, averaging 21 cigarettes a day for 45 years)

Intervention

Current smoking (observed)

Comparator

Non-smokers (including ex-smokers)

Limitations

Only 19 current smokers; men only; residual confounding (BMI, activity, occupation) possible; observational. Funded by the Arthritis Foundation, NIH and the Bayer Corporation; no competing interests declared.