Weight loss in obese people has structure-modifying effects on medial but not on lateral knee articular cartilage

Anandacoomarasamy A, Leibman S, Smith G, et al. · Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Greater weight loss was associated with preserved medial femoral cartilage thickness (p = .029) and improved cartilage proteoglycan quality on dGEMRIC (p = .008); authors estimated >=7% loss as the threshold for measurable cartilage benefit.

Population

Obese adults (baseline BMI ~36.6) losing weight by bariatric surgery or diet/exercise; 12-month MRI follow-up (78 completers)

Intervention

Weight loss (mean ~9.3% of body weight)

Limitations

Observational with self-selected treatment; 30% imaging dropout; medial compartment only; 12 months is short for structure.